The Beginning or The End?
by The Deity Of Fun Dinner
Summary: Using group effort, Naraku is defeated and the jewel is whole again. There's decisions to be made and a wish to make. Soon though, our group finds that even when everything seems to be sorted out, their trials are far from over.
1. Is Something Wrong?

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Chapter 1: Is something Wrong?

  
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Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, I've came to terms with this, however, my therapist says that if I am forced to say that too many times, I might go crazy, so this is the only time I'm saying it, I disclaim Inuyasha, and all characters therein. Oh well.  
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Kagome stretched out on her sleeping bag, exhausted from the long day's journey. Inuyasha could be so demanding when he heard rumors of Shikon shards! Well, at least that was what she assumed had happened... But he hadn't exactly just came out and _said_ that he had heard a rumor, or smelt a powerful youkai... 

But what else could it be? Further more, why the heck was she wandering about it?  
  
If the reason they had left was, in fact, because he had heard some rumors of shards, there had better be a lot of them in one place, otherwise, Inuyasha was in for it in her book. For, today, he had not allowed them to take a break even once! They had been traveling for at least fourteen hours now, she'd been counting! 

All those hours and not one break? That was just ridiculous!  
  
They had left right after she woke up too! He hadn't even gave her time to eat breakfast. She'd been sleeping soundly, having a wonderful dream about making all A's on her report card, but then, her report card had suddenly turned into a inu hanyou standing over her, staring at her. 

It had seemed that he had been attempting to will her awake. And wake she most certainly did, for who could sleep with who could sleep with a dog demon hovering over them?  
  
But there was still something bothering her about that event. It had really seemed normal enough, him being his usual impatient self and staring her to death… but, it had seemed there was something else underneath that impatient stare… something else in those overly eager eyes..  
  
Had he been… nervous? That sounded stupid. Inuyasha? Nervous? Not a chance. Nervous was for 'weak humans', not big strong, inu hanyou like himself. Inuyasha _never_ got nervous, no, of course not… nothing could phase him..  
  
But that was exactly what bothered her. _Inuyasha never got nervous_, but she could almost swear that she had seen that in his eyes.. that… uneasy uncertainty.. And if, the great Inuyasha was nervous, than it probably wasn't a good thing…  
  
Something else about today had bothered her.. They had left Shippo with Kaede. Inuyasha had insisted upon it. And, unless she was wrong, it wasn't everyday that something bothered Inuyasha enough to care about the kitsune's well being. She couldn't remember the last time they had done that… it had to be pretty darn dangerous to leave him behind. Actually… Inuyasha had actually asked her to stay with Shippo as well. He had made up some nonsense excuse for it, something about Kaede might think Shippo was a herb and grind him up..

The hanyou really wasn't the most convincing person in the world. 

Why would he want to leave her behind? He was _that_ worried about her? Sure, he was over protective.. But if he was that worried about some measly shard carrying youkai, he was just getting absurd.  
  
She had of course, reassured him that Kaede would not in fact grind up Shippo, and even if she tried, the kitsune was sure to protest… after all, Shippo probably wasn't too fond of being ground up..  
  
More than likely knowing the argument would probably only end in a sit for himself, Inuyasha had chosen to not pursue that conversation anymore, and had simply reminded her not to forget he bow and arrows.  
  
After rethinking the events, Kagome was no longer wandering if she had _imagined_ Inuyasha's nervousness, Kami, how could she _not_ notice it! He had been acting completely bizarre all day! Trying to take extra means of precaution and such!  
  
Kagome rolled over onto her back and sighed, now she was worried, not to mention extremely curious.. What could be bothering Inuyasha so?  
  
Her eyes ventured to the dimming sky already dabbled with a few stars. The sun had just sat and it was growing darker by the second.. Out of habit, she took note of the moon, just to make sure there weren't going to be any unexpected 'surprises' from Inuyasha for a while.. 

No, it wasn't time _yet _for the new moon.. They had a few days still until Inuyasha would have his 'time of the month'..   
  
She glanced over to the bushes, wondering when exactly Miroku and Sango would be returning. They had gone out to retrieve some firewood. 

To be more precise, Sango had left to go get firewood, but Inuyasha had forced Miroku to go with her, 'just in case'. Of course, there really wasn't much forcing involved in that.. Miroku had agreed a little _too_ quickly. 

This strange act of extra precaution Inuyasha would not normally take had only added to her already growing suspicions. However, Miroku and Sango seemed oblivious to anything out of the ordinary going on. Sometimes she wandered if the lived in their own little world.  
  
So, with Sango out getting firewood and pounding people on the head with her boomerang, and Miroku being the one getting pounded, she was alone, well, alone with a not so visible Inuyasha… this was a perfect time to discuss his suspicious actions... well it _would_ be perfect if she actually _see_ him.  
  
  
She tried unsuccessfully to find him, searching the surrounding trees for the one Inuyasha was undoubtedly perched in.  
  
Well, that didn't seem to be working, maybe she should try another approach.  
  
"Inuyasha?", he voice came out barely above a whisper, but she was sure Inuyasha could hear it with his dog ears.

  
"Yeah? What is it?", There it was again, that concern and uncertainty hiding beneath his brash tone.   
  
Kagome sat up on her sleeping bag and attempted to locate him by where she had heard his voice come from. She stared into a tree to her right, straining her eyes, she was almost positive that was where she had heard him from. However, this approach to finding him seemed hopeless, she couldn't even see so much as his silhouette. She sighed loudly, she didn't like talking to people she couldn't see.  
  
Inuyasha noticed her agitation and jumped down from his perch in the tree. He didn't want to upset her.. This really wasn't the time for them to argue… He sat down on the ground a few feet away from her.  
  
Kagome flashed him a grateful smile, "Thanks, It's always nicer to talk to people face to face."  
  
"Feh"  
  
Her gaze switched from his face to her own lap, where she had began to play with her hands nervously, "I was just wondering...well, you've been acting strange lately...it's   
as if you have been on guard all day..."  
  
"Feh"  
  
She looked up to glare at him, did he really have to make everything so difficult?, " I really don't think 'Feh' is an answer, Inuyasha, now tell me, is something wrong?"  
  
"Feh, nothing's wrong, you humans with your imaginations, you worry too   
much, I'm always on guard! I'm not any more on guard than I usually   
am-"  
  
Of course, his sentence would have held a lot more conviction if it weren't for what happened next…  
  
Just then a slight rustling was heard in the bushes, interrupting Inuyasha and his denial of acting strange.  
  
  
Kagome, barely took any notice of it. Inuyasha however..  
  
The hanyou immediately leapt up, drew out Tetusaiga, and slashed poor Miroku's head off as he came out of the bushes wielding firewood.  
  
At least, he _would_ have slashed poor Miroku's head off, had Tetusaiga actually transformed.   
  
Instead of transforming, which would have resulted surely in Miroku's demise, Tetusaiga stayed as a rusty old Katana, obviously being much more aware of the lack of danger coming from the bushes than Inuyasha seemed to be.  
  
Rather than decapitating Miroku, the very much still un-transformed Tetusaiga   
met with the boomerang of a very confused Sango, who, luckily, had very quick   
reflexes.   
  
Everyone was silent for a moment. Apparently going over the situation.  
  
Kirara hissed.  
  
  
Kagome looked between the hanyou holding his dull katana pressed up against Sango's boomerang, which in turn was held up less than an inch from Miroku's head. She went over a list of possible reactions to take before finally deciding on one. 

She laughed.  
  
"Of _course_ you're not _any_ more on guard than usual, Inuyasha.", she took a moment to try and hold back more laughter, "You always try to decapitate our friends after they bring us firewood… speaking of firewood...", her voice trailed off as she went over to pick up the now scattered firewood from where Miroku had dropped it in his brush with death.

  
Inuyasha was unable to hold back a blush, even so, he did turn his head to glare at the still occasionally giggling Kagome.   
  
Miroku continued to look at him in shock. Then, noticing the still unsheathed Tetusaiga, he took a few cautious steps back. Sango did the same, after all, she wasn't really in the mood to die.  
  
Glancing down at his hand, he quickly sheathed his sword and blushed again.   
  
Kagome continued to pick up firewood, seemingly oblivious to everyone, and, to Sango and Miroku, eerily calm.  
  
Kirara meowed and snuggled up next to Sango's leg, waking her from her stupor.  
  
Regaining the ability to speak, Sango finally got out the same question that Miroku was thinking,  
  
"What the hell was that for!?!"  
  
Miroku stepped back even farther, still very uneasy. "Yes Inuyasha, one would think you didn't like me…", he tried without success to make his face match the serene tone of his voice.   
  
Kagome momentarily glanced up from her now rather large pile of firewood, still smiling, 

"Oh, it was just Inuyasha being his usual "on guard" self, nothing   
new here."  
  
Inuyasha glared at her, again.  
  
Miroku's face lost even more color as he stepped back a few _more_ steps, resulting in accidentally walking backward into a tree.   
  
Sango took one last dubious glance at Inuyasha before returning her boomerang to its usual position.  
  
Kagome brought the firewood over to the middle of the clearing and proceeded to go and get a lighter from her backpack and light the fire.  
  
Stepping back, she returned to her previous spot on her sleeping bag.  
  
Kirara glanced disdainfully at her other companions before going to sit in Kagome's lap.  
  
All the while, Inuyasha continued glaring at Kagome, while Miroku and Sango stared at both Inuyasha and Kagome, wondering which one, if not both, had gone mad.  
  
Kagome grinned innocently, ignoring the glare and curious looks she was receiving from everyone, "Are you ready to tell me what's bothering you now, Inuyasha?"   
  
Inuyasha racked his brain for a normal response to what she said. He couldn't go on glaring like an idiot. He tried his best to recover from almost killing his friend, not to mention being extremely embarrassed.  


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'Should I.. Smirk? Yeah, that sounds like a normal reaction for me.'  
  
Inuyasha smirked, " Feh, stop looking at me like that Miroku, believe it or not, I don't   
want to kill you."   
  
"You tried to chop off my head! Had it not been for the quick reflexes of   
Sango here, it might have fallen with the firewood!"  
  
Sango couldn't help but stop to debate whether he had meant something perverted by that, she shook her head, even if he was, she could always bonk him on the head later for it.  
  
Inuyasha stopped smirking and blushed again, turning away from the accusing eyes of his companions, with the exception of Kagome, who was still smiling like everything was just peachy.  
  
As bad as he hated to admit it, he was rather embarrassed. After all, he had made such a very careless mistake. He was a hanyou for Kami's sakes! He was the one who should have smelt them coming a mile away, he was the one who should have _heard_ them coming a mile away, he was the one who was supposed to be protecting them, not the one who they were being protected from!   
  
He mentally cursed himself, his anxiety had made him more open to attack.   
  
He hadn't had any idea that anyone was coming their way, hadn't spelt anything, and hadn't heard anything until he heard the bushes rustle, and even Kagome had heard that with her human ears!

  
Inuyasha threw his arms up in one last desperate gesture of annoyance before sitting down in defeat. How was he supposed to come up with an excuse for his actions without just all out telling them what was going on? And he didn't want to do that, not yet anyway. Why not? Because he just didn't, and his way was _always_ right, because he was the single greatest creature in the world. Yep, that was him.  
  
  
Very, very hesitantly, Miroku walked over to another tree, this one a good 10 feet away, all the while casting nervous glances over his shoulder. He sat down, leaning his back up against it.  
  
With the usual uncertainty known to people who's friend has just had a brush with death, Sango walked over to Miroku and sat beside him, eyeing her other companions _very_  
suspiciously.   
  
However, she scooted over after realizing she was within groping distance. Just in time too, as Miroku's hand was already traveling dangerously close to her butt. She slapped his hand away and returned her gaze to her "friends".   
  
Miroku just stared at his own hand, almost as if he were trying to condemn it, honestly, sometimes he felt like it had a mind of it's own.  
  
Kirara looked up at Kagome's smiling face and then towards Sango's warm beckoning lap, but it was just so far away.. and this perfectly fine lap was right here. Finally coming to a decision, she made her way over to Sango's and sat down.  
  
Kagome stopped smiling quite so largely and approached Inuyasha, sitting down beside him.

  
"Inuyasha...", she began, laying a hand on his shoulder, "I think you should tell us all what's made you so...jumpy..."  
  
Sango cocked her head, confused by the strange word, "Jumpy??"  
  
"Umm...paranoid?" Kagome offered, searching for a word that they   
wouldn't have to wait centuries to understand, however, this attempt was met   
with two confused faces and a still silent hanyou, who had not lifted his gaze   
from the ground since sitting down.  
  
Miroku went over the sentence Kagome had said again and hazarded a guess as to what the word meant, "You mean why he was so quick to try and kill me?"  
  
Kagome laughed nervously, "Um... Well.. I guess you could put it that way..", she racked her brain for a more er.. 'polite' way of putting it, one that didn't make Inuyasha sound like a homicidal maniac.

  
"I've just noticed that he's been acting more.. cautious than usual.", there that should do, phrasing it in a way that both addressed the problem and didn't make Inuyasha sound insane. .  
  
Sango gazed at Kagome skeptically before making a valid point, "Cautious people don't usually mistake their friends for Naraku."

  
The instant Sango said the word 'Naraku', Kagome felt Inuyasha's shoulder tense under her touch.   
  
At last understanding, she released her hand and replaced it with her head.  
She leaned up against his sturdy frame, bringing one arm around his other   
shoulder.   
  
His own hand reached up and clasped onto it, more than likely out of habit more than intention.  
  
She could remember sitting like this with him once before. The time after he had killed those villagers when he had let his youkai blood get control of him. She couldn't help but note that the similarities between that night and this one were undeniable.  
  
"I understand...", she whispered for only him to hear. Those had been the   
exact words she had used _that_ night...his body began to loosen up a   
little...  
  
She turned her head to the others as best she could considering it was still resting on Inuyasha's shoulder, "Maybe cautious wasn't exactly the best word to use... what about   
protective?"   
  
Sango only looked at her pointedly, as if to say, 'protective people   
don't try to kill their friends either'.   
  
Kagome sighed.  
  
Miroku pushed away another bout of fear, resolved to achieve his usual placid quality, "Inuyasha, could you please inform us of why you attempted to kill me?", the forced calmness wasn't working out to well.  
  
"Inuyasha..."   
  
The hanyou in question looked over to Miroku, "Feh, you already answered your own question baka!"  
  
To the others, it sounded like he was back to his usually rude self, but to Kagome.. she could see right through his cover up.   
  
Miroku and Sango exchanged confused glances.   
  
Kagome sighed at the other's ignorance, she had learned long ago to decode the language of Inuyasha.  
  
"You mistook him for Naraku… that's what your saying.. right?", though phrased like a question, her voice held not an ounce of curiosity. It was more of a statement, telling the others what she had found out already, all through that tell tale flinch at the mention of the evil baboon guys name.  
  
Inuyasha gave a half-hearted attempt at smirking, trying his best to sound sarcastic, "You're smarter than I thought Kagome.", but even as he seemed to be making fun of her, he squeezed her hand a little tighter as if to thank her for her understanding.  
  
Kagome smiled to her self, squeezing his hand right back, "Gee thanks Inuyasha, means a lot to me.", she played along with his act, her actions being quite contradictive to the cynical quality to her voice.   
  
He turned his head a little look at her in silent gratitude. She returned the gesture with a worried smile.   
  
Miroku and Sango once again exchanged puzzled looks.  
  
Sango cleared her throat loudly to get the twos attention, "Um excuse me, but, why would you mistake him for Naraku?"  
  
"Yes, why, Inuyasha?", interjected a very puzzled, and still slightly   
nervous, Miroku.  
  
Kagome sighed yet again, "Inuyasha, I really think you need to tell us what's going on."  
  
_______A.N____________________________________________________________

Alright Peoples, I am in the midst of revising and editing this story, so the next chapters are going to be of varying quality. My writing has improved a great deal over the course of this fic, so the last 20-ish chapter I have are pretty good, however, my earlier chapters pale in comparison to them, so, if you come across some that haven't been revised, or haven't been re-revised, (revised after march 17 2003), then just bare with me and keep reading, I promise they get better. Thanks so much for reading, and please, try to review every few chapters or so, (like, every 5 at least), instead of just writing a review at the end. Thanks! Ja Ne!

I assure you, your reviews are VERY much appreciated!  


The Deity,

-Heather-


	2. I don't wear a baboon pelt!

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Chapter 2: I Don't Wear a Baboon Pelt

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Kagome was relieved to find that Sango and Miroku appeared to have finally calmed down somewhat and came to terms with the fact that their lives we're not in danger, at least, not from Inuyasha.

As for the aforementioned hanyou, he was yet to speak a word or provide any kind of clue as to why he was acting so odd.

She was sure it must have been getting pretty hard for him to keep quiet, what with the

three sets of curious eyes staring at him with such intensity one would think he had just crapped out the complete Shikon No Tama and said 'Wow, that was a big one..'

  
Even _Kirara's_ feline eyes seemed to be staring at him expectantly.  
  
Sango adjusted the strap of her giant boomerang so that it was no longer digging into her shoulder. Kagome had said that Inuyasha had been acting strange, well, stranger than usual, but she herself hadn't noticed any difference at all in the stubborn hanyou. So what could it be that Kagome had noticed that she had not?

Sure, he had left Shippo behind, but that wasn't anything new, Inuyasha would go to great lengths to get away from the sometimes annoying little kitsune. Call her oblivious to her surroundings, but that was the closest thing to out of the ordinary she had noticed. Had Kagome seen something she hadn't? 

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Or could it just be that Kagome knows Inuyasha better than anyone else..?

  
Kagome tightened her hold on Inuyasha's hand and wrapped her other arm slightly around his waist. If he noticed the change in position he made no sign to confirm it. It was hard for her to just not give in to the urge to sit him till he talked, this whole thing was making her more uneasy than she wanted to let on.. It was.. Just something in the air.. A sense of foreboding..

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I wander what's going on.. Somehow.. I know it's really important.. Something big.. He wouldn't be acting like **this** if it wasn't.

Acting like _this?_ Acting like what? In her thoughts she had said it without even noticing, but now as what she said gained meaning, it took her a minute to even place how she felt he was feeling..

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He's.. he's acting scared.. The other's probably don't even notice it.. But.. It's there… fear.. In.. Inuyasha..  


  
Inuyasha didn't want to tell them. And just that desire alone was enough to make him question his own sanity. Why didn't he want to tell them? It wasn't like this was really the first time.. But.. Something was different this time wasn't it? 

He could feel it.. That.. Ominous thickness. It was coming.. This would either be what ended everything or started a whole new beginning..

They needed to prepare. It had been stupid to keep this from them this long.

  
What was the big deal anyway?

It was common knowledge that it would eventually come to this, wasn't this what he had been waiting for all along? Wasn't this what they had set out to do in the first place?

This was simply the inevitable.

So why had he been so surprised when he got the message… why had it been.. So unexpected?

  
Simple. He hadn't looked ahead, sure, he knew what he was after, defeat Naraku and complete the jewel, but when you go after one goal so long, it ceases to become a goal, and instead is just an idea.. Just words. 

And the more time that went buy, the more distant the goal became, until he had just stopped looking for the goal, and instead just living in the moment. Living in the current quest to get a jewel shard from what ever lowlife youkai they were after at the time.

So, in a sense, the fact that the goal had become a goal again, _was_ unexpected.

It scared him.. That this could be the end, sure, they had formed a group strong enough to fend off most anything, but just that possibility, that this _could_ be the end, for any one of them.. That absolutely terrified him..

He didn't want it to be over..

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I don't want to lose anyone… especially not Kagome.. To death.. Or to time..  
  


Miroku glared at Inuyasha, now not so much because he had tried to chop off his head, but just because he had mistaken him for Naraku. Naraku? How could _anyone_ confuse him with _Naraku? _Especially Inuyasha!

  
Inuyasha was the one who knew Kagome was back from her time even if they were still three villages away! Inuyasha was the one who would jump up out of nowhere and spout out something about a youkai coming thirty minutes in advance! He was a inu hanyou for kami's sakes!

He sure as hell wasn't the smartest in the group, but he _was_ the most observant, as far as danger and sensing things went. So what would make him think that he was Naraku? 

Naraku didn't grope people, well, as far as Miroku knew he didn't, he just didn't seem like the groping kind of guy. He didn't ask women to bare his child, he could bare his own children, by himself!

He didn't even wear the same colored clothes as Miroku!

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He wears a baboon pelt for Kami's sake!

  
In a manner far too gallant for the current situation, he stood up, fist raised to the sky.

"I don't wear a baboon pelt!!"

Everyone turned to stare at the houshi, caught in a rather ridiculous pose.

Blushing, he took his seat in as dignified manner as one who has just made a defiant remark about their wardrobe can muster. Maybe that hadn't been something he should have said out loud…

"I.. Just thought you might like to know..", Oh yeah, nice save Miroku.

In a meager attempt at trying to regain some dignity, he attempted to cop a feel of Sango's butt, not that that was necessarily a dignified thing to do.  
  
"Hentai!!" , Sango smiled as the satisfying thud sounded out from pervert meets abnormally large boomerang.  
  
Inuyasha couldn't help but smirk a little at the pervert getting what he deserved

Kagome just gazed at the two so obviously in love with an altogether unreadable face, though her eyes were filled with an unmistakable remorse.  


..Would it ever be that easy for her? 

  
Sango just scooted a little farther away from Miroku, her arms crossed begrudgingly over her chest, pretending to be mad. "Near death experiences can't stop you can they Miroku."

  
For some reason, Inuyasha took offense to this, " I wouldn't have killed him! Even if tetusaiga actually did transform, I would have realized it was just the bouzo.."   
  
"Speaking of which," Sango began, edging even farther from Miroku, " you still haven't told us exactly why you did that...", her voice trailed off after receiving the harsh glare from Inuyasha.

  
Kagome brought her voice down to a near whisper, "Inuyasha…", she prompted.  
  
Miroku suddenly developed an air of regal arrogance, deciding it was time to pull out his 'I'm a wise monk, you should listen to what I have to say' tactic of getting information.

"It is probably not wise for you to delay this anymore Inuyasha, whatever the reason, its best to tell us."  


Yes, he sounded intelligent, especially for someone who had just made such a fool out of himself.  
  
"I guess the pervert is right, I should tell you…", Inuyasha relented, but made no signs of doing so.  
  
Sango bit back the urge to hit Inuyasha over the head with her abnormally large boomerang (hey, it worked with Miroku.. Kind of).

"Ok, well, **THEN WHY DON'T YOU!?**" She was obviously getting tired of Inuyasha's whole beating around the bush thing and it showed through more than just a little in her words. 

  
"Feh..."

  
"Inuyasha..." Kagome said again. 

Inuyasha sighed in defeat, he hated how all she had to do was just say his name like that and he'd give her the world.  
  
"It's Naraku, he wants to fight us."  
  
**______A.N______________________________________________________________**

I finally got around to Reposting this in it's official form. This, is hopefully the last revision for this chapter. Word of warning, the next few chapters are probably not so good quality as this one unless they have been reposted after march 17 2003.

As your humble author, I beg of you to review.

The Deity,

-Heather-


	3. Big Nasty Smudges

Chapter3: Big Nasty Smudges  
  
  
  
  
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"FIGHT US???!!", Sango asked incredulously.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha snorted, "What, are your ears broken or something?!,  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku appeared just as surprised as Sango, " Naraku wants to fight us? But why?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Umm...you guys, what's the big deal, I mean, wasn't that our goal all along, defeat Naraku, get the jewel shards...remember?" questioned a , once again, eerily calm Kagome.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The rest of the group just stared at her in, what could only be described as amazement, everyone but Inuyasha however, whose expression was, as usual, unreadable. Kagome laughed nervously and sweat dropped.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
" You do remember right?...get rid of the air rip? Avenge your village and do what you can about Kohaku....?",she hesitated a bit and then added, "avenge Kikyou's death..remember?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The group once again stared at her until a look of realization finally crossed their faces, well, at least it crossed Miroku and Sango's faces, Inuyasha's face was still unreadable.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango attempted to lessen her look of surprise and become the voice of reason, " Of course we remember..., it's just, why now? Why after all this time he just comes out and says he wants to fight us?".  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes, Naraku has never been the kind of guy to face his problems head on.." added Miroku  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well, maybe he realized that he couldn't get rid of us the cowards way so he decided to deal with it himself, how should I know anyway?" Inuyasha countered, it seemed to him that everyone was looking to him for answers, and, indeed they were. After all, he had been the only one who knew Naraku wanted to fight them. So, wasn't it logical he would know *why*?  
  
  
  
  
  
  
" It could be a trap" Miroku acknowledged.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
" Inuyasha?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What wench?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"How did you know he wanted to fight us and we didn't"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha smirked, "Who else would he leave the message with? Shippo?"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"No , I mean, well...wait..He left you a message?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well wouldn't it have been pretty stupid for him to just come up to me and tell me he wanted to fight me, and then leave?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What kind of message did he leave?" asked Miroku, knowing if he didn't say something a fight might begin, and this was definitely not the time for that.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha dropped Kagome's hand and fished around in his fire rat shirt for something. Finally, he pulled out a small scroll and threw it at..er.. *to* Miroku.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Umm..no offense Inuyasha, but you can't read..can you?", Miroku asked nervously, more than likely having flashbacks of a certain dog demon's sword trying to chop off his head.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Of course not baka, why would a youkia like me need to learn how to read, I had Kaede read it for me..."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kaede knew? And didn't tell me?" Kagome demanded.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Why would she tell you baka?" he snorted, but at the same time put his hand back to its original position in Kagome's hand.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
" What does it say, Miroku?" Sango asked, before Kagome could respond to Inuyasha's previous comment.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"hmmm...It says:  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
It appears as though, I will not be able to get rid of you as easily as I had thought . You have began to agitate me and I think it is best I do away with you as soon as possible so that you cannot cause me any more trouble. I challenge you to fight me Inuyasha, and this will not be like our other fights, for, when this fight is over , one of us will not ever be able to fight again, or do anything else for that matter. I trust you will be bringing the monk and the demon exterminator as well, not to mention the human girl you tote around with you. Just as well, I can kill four birds with one stone. I also trust you will be able to find me.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Naraku"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The words sounded funny coming from their own Miroku, and Kagome couldn't help but giggle. Once again, she was delivered incredulous stares by the others. Noticing the other's looks, she sweat dropped and a blush rose on her cheeks.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
" Sooo, Naraku wants to fight you?", she said, trying to make them stop staring at her like that.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha turned to stare at her stupidly, "Ya' think?".  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
" Where is he Inuyasha?", the monk interrupted, once again hoping to prevent a fight.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha turned away from Kagome and sniffed the air, "That way", he said, pointing northwards.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango looked in the direction that Inuyasha was pointing, as far as her line of vision would permit, all she saw was trees, "How far?"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Another day's journey."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
" I suggest we all get some sleep tonight." noted Miroku as he glanced up at the now darkened sky, "it appears we have a long day ahead of us.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango glanced around wearily, "Do you think he would try and ambush us while we sleep?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
" Sango, if your scared, feel free to come sleep with me." a certain letch said with a lecherous grin. Which of course was soon wiped off his face with a certain abnormally large boomerang.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh, I'll keep watch like I always do," informed Inuyasha, and then, without a backward glance, stood and returned to his original position in the tree.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome went back over to her sleeping bag and slipped inside it. Sango unrolled the brand new sleeping bag Kagome had brought for her near Kagome. Sheand curled up inside it with Kirara in tow. Miroku began to lean up against a tree dangerously close to Sango, but then scooted a few feet away to another one after noticing her reach for her boomerang. Sango's hand slowly fell away from the direction of her boomerang after Miroku went to another tree even farther away.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sango, you didn't polish your boomerang today.." Miroku acknowledged half-heartedly from his resting place.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yeah, and just think, it might have a big nasty smudge on it from where it met up with tettusaiga." added Inuyasha from his perch.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I would polish it, but I don't want to waste any energy, after all, I'll need it all to get all the Naraku blood off of it tomorrow..."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha, Kagome, and Miroku smirked, after all, it wasn't very often you heard a comment like that coming from Sango. With that, they all snuggled into their sleeping bags and  
err...trees to go to sleep.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"goodnight Inuyasha", whispered a sleepy Kagome.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He began to say his usual "Feh, but then a thought crossed his mind... 'Oh what the hell, after all, I might be dead come this time tomorrow'.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Goodnight Kagome"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome smiled and soon fell asleep, quickly followed by Sango and Miroku. Inuyasha just sat in his tree, keeping guard, and occasionally glancing down at Kagome, "just to make sure she was all right".  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
********A/N******  
  
Finaly reposted this, this version is proofread and revised. okay..its much better than it used to be.  
2/7/02  
  
That girl,  
Heather 


	4. Abnormaly Large Boomerangs and Perverts

Chapter 4: Abnormally Large Boomerangs and Perverts  
  
  
  
  
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"Wake up Letch!", growled Inuyasha, while he kicked Miroku in the side. The others were already awake and staring at Miroku expectantly. He didn't stir an inch.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"WAKE UP BAKKA!," he yelled again. He was about to say it once more, when he noticed Sango put a finger to her lips signaling for them to be quiet. Inuyasha sniffed the air cautiously while Kagome nodded at Sango knowingly. He was about to ask why he had to be shut up, but was interrupted by the very seductive, not to mention suggestive, voice of Sango.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh, I'm glad Miroku isn't up yet, that might spoil our fun....how would all of you like to go take a bath with me while we wait on him to awake....I think I saw a hot spring over there...", her highly over exaggerated voice trailed off as she looked to Miroku for any results. Kagome blushed a little and tried not to laugh , while Inuyasha looked confused for a minute before the usual smirk once again resided on his face.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku's eyes slowly opened to, hopefully, catch a glance of "something". He looked around, and saw...black? 'Why is everything bla-Oh hell…'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hentia!!" Sango screamed as her abnormally large boomerang went crashing down upon Miroku's head.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I didn't know you could be so imaginative, Sango..", Before his that sentence could go on any farther, he was quickly stifled by the abnormally large boomerang once again.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Pervert.."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Get up letch, we need to get going if we want to make it there before dark."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
With that, the group gathered up their belongings, which of course consisted of a big yellow back pack, an abnormally large boomerang, a staff, and Inuyasha. That done, they all hopped aboard Kirara and set out to fight the baboon pelt clad Naraku.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
****  
  
  
  
  
  
They road for about four hours in silence, except of course for the occasional 'Hentia!' *slap*, after all, its not really that easy to talk while riding on a gigantic cat demon. But, eventually it was bound to happen, and happen it undoubtedly did. It was Kagome who broke the 'hentia' infested silence.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha?, I'm sensing a LOT of jewel shards coming from there.", the girl from the future informed, pointing North.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Ya think?, that is where Naraku is after all.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Just how many jewel shards do you think Naraku has?", she asked, pulling out her own collection of jewel shards, which, she noticed, there was a greatl deal of...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
" How am I supposed to know that wench?"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome was beginning to grow angry, "Well you do seem to know a lot more about the Shikon No Tama than I do!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha looked reluctant, but then answered her previous question, knowing that if he didn't he would be sat, and he didn't even want to think about what that would be like from so high up in the air, "I think he has the rest of them.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
This of course caught Miroku's attention, "The rest of them? What do you mean Inuyasha?"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What do you think I mean monk? He has the rest of them!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango finaly took her part in the conversation, growing annoyed with the other's arguing, "You mean to tell me, that, all the jewel shards are either in Kagome's hand there, or with the cursed Naraku?"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"That's exactly what I mean!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
It took a while for the full weight of that statement to sink in. Everyone looked thoughtful, as if they were all considering this. Once again, Kagome broke the silence.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"So, after we defeat Naraku...if we defeat him, we will have *all* the jewel shards? The Shikon No Tama will be complete? And...you wont need me anymore….?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes wench, we will have all the shards and the Shikon No Tama will be complete...feh..." Inuyasha answered, deliberately ignoring her last question.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome noticed that he hadn't responded to her last question, and, was about to re-ask it, but stopped when she noticed the pleading look in Inuyasha's eyes..It was as if he were begging her not to ask that question..because he couldn't deal with *that* question right now. So she chose to pretend she had never asked it in the first place. Inuyasha looked *very* relieved.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"So Kagome, what are you going to do with the completed Shikon No Tama?" Sango asked, noticing the tension in the group after Kagome's last question. Miroku turned his head to Kagome, looking curious.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She hesitated a moment, not sure of how she should answer, "It depends."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The way she said it, everyone knew that it was a closed subject for now...Inuyasha didn't even say anything about how the whole reason for finding the shards in the first place was to make him into a full youkia...well...at least that's what he *had* wanted....originally.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*******A/N*****  
  
Reposted, revised and edited, 02/07/03...I know a lot of you are wanting me to work on the next chapter..but this HAD to be done..these first few chapters were in bad shape... 


	5. FLUFFY?

Chapter5 FLUFFY???!...I mean..SESSHOUMARU?  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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The sun was beginning to set and it was clear that it wouldn't be much longer until they reached their destination. Everyone was beginning to get a little nervous, for, well, obvious reasons. Its one thing to meet up with monkey man...err.. Naraku unexpectedly, its another to know for hours ahead of time that your going to go fight to the death with him...soo..everyone was nervous..even Inuyasha.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Needless to say, everyone was a little frightened when Inuyasha began to sniff the air suspiciously. After sniffing a few times, a confused look came upon his face.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Stop Kirara!", he orderd. The cat demon obliged while everyone looked around for the source of danger. Kagome got her bow and arrows out of her back pack. Miroku readied his staff.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha just sniffed again and absently put his hand on tettusaiga. Everyone waited patiently for Inuyasha to explain to them what was going on, or for a big monster to come gobble them up. Inuyasha sniffed again...the bushes shook with child like laughter....child like laughter?  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
As the bushes parted and out stepped their visitor, the response was rather unanimous.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"SESSHOUMARU??"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Out from the bushes had stepped Fluffy..I mean..Shesshoumaru and Rin.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha sighed, "You can't possibly be wanting to fight me for tettusaiga right now, can you?".  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
" Hey, where's Jaken?", Kagome was the first to notice the absence of the little ugly frog-thing.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
At the mention of Jaken, Flu-Seshoumaru flinched slightly and Rin just grinned.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Frog legs are YUMMY!!! Especially when Sesshoumaru-sama makes them!" Rin cried out exuberantly.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
That's not important half breed, and no, for once, I did not come to take your precious tettusaiga...you will need that for later, will you not..?" Fluff-Seshoumaru stated in his, as usual, emotionless voice.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome chose to not even ask what Rin had meant by 'Frog legs are yummy', so she went on to more important, and somewhat less disturbing things, "Hey, how did you know about our fight with Naraku?" .  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Everyone knows about your fight with Naraku, human."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"They do?" Inuyasha was somewhat taken aback, just how many scrolls did monkey   
boy....er..Narku..write?  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Of course they do half breed! You are the only ones Naraku has ever challenged to fight!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku was puzzled, "I thought you and Naraku were on a team…well then he DID kidnap Rin and all..but..don't you want vengence on him too..or are you teamed up again??"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I, Sesshoumaru, join forces with no one."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"He dumped you didn't he?" Kagome interrupted, "was it because of that big giant puff thing you carry around with you?...or was it that red eye liner you wear....you know..a lot of people don't think those are very threatening.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Everyone but Seshoumaru looked at Kagome, once again, as if she were crazy..while Seshoumaru just looked...hurt?   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"THATS MY TAIL!!....and I do not wear eyeliner!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome looked thoughtful..Everyone else but sheshoumaru sweat dropped.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Really?...seems kind of big to be a tail...How come Inuyasha doesn't have a tail? I mean, he has the dog ears, so shouldn't he have the tail too? Also...Why is your tail so big?...dogs don't have big fluffy tails...I mean, if you were a fox demon or something I could understand...maybe..but your a dog demon....if you don't wear eyeliner, then what is that red stuff on your eyelids..?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
For this comment, everyone, including Seshoumaru, looked at Kagome as if she really were insane, and of course, they all sweat dropped.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What? You can't tell me you haven't ever wandered what that was! I had to ask, this might be the only chance I get, all the other times I've seen him he's usualy trying to kill one of us or someone else."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sesshoumaru, obviously chose to ignore all of this..."I need to talk to you alone mutt, without all of these interruptions."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Do you really think it is wise to go with your brother, Inuyasha? After all, he usually tries to kill you.", Miroku warned.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango agreed with the Houshi, "We can't exactly beat Naraku without you."..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I can handle Seshoumaru , as for you guys, don't let Naraku kill you while I'm gone, this could all be a trap."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"We'll try our best to stay alive Inuyasha.", Kagome assured sarcastically.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango sighed defeatedly, "Well, I guess Kirara could use a rest..."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome grabbed hold of Inuyasha's arm before he could go, "Be careful Inuyasha.",  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh", he shrugged her hand off and went to join Sesshoumaru.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sesshoumaru seemed offended, "Do you really think I would kill someone with Rin around?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Everyone glanced to the spot that Jaken would normally be in beside Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru sweat dropped...Rin grinned, no doubt thinking about how yummy frog legs were..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Just follow me half breed"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha followed his, evil, is somewhat feminine, brother into the woods, leaving his other companions behind. Rin skipped along beside Sesshoumaru merrily.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) In secluded area of the forest with Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sesshoumaru stared at the ground and mumbled something that Inuyasha couldn't understand even with his dog like hearing.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Do you want to take tensaiga with you?" he said again louder, begrudgingly.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha face faulted..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What???!!!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Surely you heard me that time hanyou, you may only be a half breed but your hearing can't be that bad."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Why would you offer me tensaiga? You have done nothing but try to kill me in order to get *my* sword, and now you *offer* me *yours*...you stuck your hand through my stomache for Kami's sake!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"It has the power to heal, you will need it if you plan to let the demon exterminator, the houshi, and that human mate of yours fight."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
With that, he threw tensaiga at Inuyasha's feet and turned to go. Inuyasha couldn't think of anything to say...so he said the first thing that came to mind.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"She's not my mate!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sesshoumaru tried his best to keep his voice as emotionless as ever, and keep the slight smirk off his face, "Of Course she isn't…"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Come on Rin." Sesshoumaru ordered..and they skipped merrily into the forest...well Rin skipped merrily into the forest....Sesshoumaru just *walked* gracefully into the forest..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))Back with the others(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango sat a top a large rock, looking thoughtful, " I always hated that ugly little frog thing."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku nodded to show that he agreed, "I wander what made Sesshoumaru kill him...I mean it was bound to happed sooner or later...but what do you think drove him over the edge?  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"He probably hit on Rin...", Kagome suggested.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
" He's not the letch.", came a voice from the forest.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha stepped out of the forest carrying tensaiga.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Did you finally kill Sesshoumaru?" Miroku asked, glancing at tensaiga.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh, he gave it to me."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Gave it to you?" echoed Sango.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes, gave it to me..I always knew I was the smart one."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome smirked, "Riiiight..Or maybe he was just concerned for his his little brother.."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"More likely he was concerned for Sango..It seems he has a thing for her."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango blushed. Miroku touched her butt possessively.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"HENTIA!!" she screamed, and bashed him on the head with her abnormally large boomerang.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"He just gave it to me, he said I would need it if I planned to let the 'demon exterminator, the houshi, and...the..human wench' fight.", Inuyasha explained...conveniently leaving out what   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sesshoumaru had actually referred to Kagome as.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"So Sesshoumaru actually has a heart...must have grabbed yours when he put his hand through your stomach, Inuyasha..", Miroku mused.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha glared at him.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"You know..I bet he has a thing for that Rin girl..." suggested Miroku.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hentia.." mumbled Sango..and attempted to slap him...but, for once, Miroku dodged the slap.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hey, I'm not Sheshoumaru...I think he went that way if you want to slap *him*.", defended Miroku, pointing the way Sesshoumaru had went.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango looked thoughtful for a minute, but then bashed Miroku on the head with her abnormally large boomerang, "*You* thought it..."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Umm..you guys. don't you think we should get back to being on our way to defeating Naraku?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
It seemed Inuyasha finaly remembered just what they were doing, "Yes! We do need to leave..come on lets go bakas."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Don't you think we could walk a while..Kirara looks tired..." stated Sango.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha sniffed the air, "I can smell Naraku from here, it wont be much longer at all, surely Kirara can make it just a little longer"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
" Alright.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kirara transformed back into her giant cat demon thingy form. Kagome was about to put her bow and arrows back into her bag, but was stopped by Inuyasha.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"You should probably keep them out wench."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome nodded and they all hopped aboard Kirara. So once again, they set forth on their journey to defeat monkey boy...I mean Naraku...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
***********A/N*****  
Reposted, just life the last few chapters, 02/07/03...edited and revised, it needed it..bad.. 


	6. Arrival of the Inevitable

Chapter 6: Arrival of the Inevitable  
********************************************************************************************************************************************  
  
Sango stopped Kirara after receiving a simple glance from Inuyasha. He said nothing, but that look told her more than any amount of words. Slowly, everyone got off of Kirara and looked around. Inuyasha sniffed the air. Kagome waited for her eyes to adjust to the lack of light. Darkness had arrived, in more ways than one.  
  
Kagome didn't need her eyes to know that Naraku was there. She could sense an overwhelmingly large amount of jewel shards. She was glad Inuyasha wasn't having as much trouble with the darkness as she was, if not for his dog-like eyesight, they probably would have been doomed upon arrival. Kagome tried again to see, the forest was blurry, but she could make out her companions and some other shapes. For the first time Kagome realized it had not been wise of them to travel in the day, now they would more than likely have to battle in the dark..if only they had thought to travel at night..  
  
Miruko could hardly see a thing. . This was quite unfortunate. Naraku had made sure they were definitely at the disadvantage when choosing location. He could barely see his companions! The sky was dark as pitch. Any hopes of light from the moon were dashed due to the huge amount of trees blanketing the forest. Inuyasha could see perfectly, this he knew, and Kagome could probably see a little, due to the jewel shards, not only that, but she could no doubt sense the jewel shards as well, allowing her to have an idea of where danger would be. He himself, would be able to sense the negative energy, which, aided a little to his vision, but that was almost as useless as being blind. Sango was worst off of course, 'She probably can't see anything, much less *sense* anything'. This wasn't unfortunate, this was bad, really, really, bad.  
  
Sango looked around. She couldn't see a thing. 'I'm useless, for the first time, I'm useless..', she wasn't accustomed to being the one with the most of a disadvantage, 'This must be how Kagome feels in battles..now even Kagome is better than me!'...'I wouldn't even know if Miroku tried to feel my butt!, this must be some kind of ironic payback for bashing him on the head all those times..'. 'Well, I guess I'll just have to make do with what I have..'.She sighed heavily as she sat down and leaned back up against Kirara. Boomerang ready, she closed her eyes in hopes that it would help her other senses become more alert…at least she would have the protection of her cat demon companion.  
  
Inuyasha took a look at his surroundings. Naraku wasn't in sight, but he was near, his nose told him that. It was dark out, he realized, 'Good thing I have excellent night vision.', but then he   
realized something else, if it was dark, that meant he was the only one who *could* see.  
  
And of course, this new revelation forced him to voice his unhappiness. "Oh shit.."   
  
'Well, Sango probably can't see a thing, that makes her practically useless, the letch can probably see something, considering he is a monk, if a perverted one, and Kagome has the jewel shards, *and* she can sense them, that makes her my most useful ally....but..*I'm* supposed to be protecting *her*...' he mused, trying to figure out what to do. Finaly, he came to a decision, he had no other choice, he would just have to kill Naraku by himself, maybe he would get a little help from the others, but in the end, it would have to be him.  
  
"shit.."  
  
"Yes, this is quiet unfortunate." agreed the monk, "It appears the only one, other than you of course, that will be of any use is Kagome...I can hardly see a thing...but I do sense a great evil."  
  
Inuyasha snorted,"Ya think?"   
  
"Me??!!", Kagome was, shocked to say the least, that she was the was the most useful next to Inuyasha, surely there had to be some kind of mistake, "How could I be of any use...I'm just the...the shard detector.."  
  
"Feh, yes you, your the only one besides me who can see anything, well, the letch can see a little, but I'm sure Sango is as blind as a bat."  
  
At the mention of her name, Sango opened her eyes to look around out of habit, of course, it did no good, not being able to see the others, she merely turned in the direction she had heard their voices.  
She sighed again, "He's right, I can't see a thing....I'm....useless...."  
  
"I guess it is up to you and Kagome, Inuyasha, Sango and I will try and help out if we can, of course"  
"Feh, I'll fight him myself, I don't need her to help me!"  
  
The aforementioned "her" was slightly hurt, but then she understood he only wanted to protect her. Suddenly she felt something, it was as the air had turned solid and was pushing at her.  
Miroku glanced around anxiously...he sensed a horrible evil...  
  
Inuyasha smelt it. That putrid scent of the one who had tried to ruin his life. He sniffed, trying to find the direction it came from. Oh how he hated that smell. He turned to his left, that was where the smell was coming from. His face contorted into a menacing scowl.  
  
And then he saw him, and the only thing he could do was growl his name.  
"Shippo"  
*A.N: ok...sorry I couldn't resist, ignore that last line there and just pretend it never happened...*  
  
"Naraku"  
  
***********A/N  
************************A/N******************  
Reposted,  
Chapter revised/edited-Feb/13/03 


	7. Death of the Lovers that Never Were

Chapter 7: Death of the Lovers that Never were  
  
  
  
Monkey boy`*ahem* Naraku, stepped into the small clearing. And, as usual, he was clad in his nasty baboon pelt.  
Kagome tried her best to see Naraku, she could just barely make out his outline.  
Miroku was worse off, he could only see a dark form.   
  
Sango still could not see anything, but, judging by Inuyasha's previous growl, their opponent had arrived.   
  
Inuyasha growled yet again, "Don't you ever take that off?", he glared pointedly at the baboon pelt.  
  
Naraku either chose to ignore the comment about his bizarre choice of attire, or simply didn't care, "So, you have arrived? And I see that you brought your little friends with you as well, just as I thought."  
  
"Shut up and fight Naraku, your wasting my time!"  
  
"Very well....any last words?"  
  
By now, the others were about ready to charge blindly at Naraku...thankfully, they stayed put.  
  
"Shouldn't I be asking you that question?"  
  
"Fine then, lets get this over with."  
  
And then the two began to fight.  
  
******************************************  
Sango still saw nothing. But she knew Naraku and Inuyasha had already began their fight, she could hear *that*. The sound of the tetusaiga slashing through the air was far from not being noticeable. She burrowed her back up farther against Kirara, relishing in the warmth of her cat demon friend as the cool wind blew against her face. It was strange, for Kirara not to be fighting with Inuyasha..she could probably see...And then she noticed something for the first time..although she *could* hear the sound of Kirara's heavy breathing and occasional   
growls...the cat demon wasn't moving at all...  
  
Had Naraku put some kind of spell on her? To make sure she didn't interfere...but that didn't seem right..Naraku could probably easily take out Kirara..granted, she really did aid a lot in battle, but on her own..she didn't pose much of a threat to someone like Naraku...so why would he make sure she couldn't move..? Unless of course..it wasn't the fight against him that he didn't want her to interfere with..  
But then..what could it be?  
  
Something felt very wrong..'Somethings missing..'..she glanced around nervously into the darkness, seeing nothing. Whatever it was that was making her so uneasy, other than the fact that they were battling their worst enemy...had something to do with Kirara..she had figured that much out.  
  
Then it dawned on her and she wandered how come no one else had noticed it before. 'Naraku is here alone! Where is Kanna and Kagura...and....Kohaku? Shouldn't they be here fighting as well?' Then she realized something else....they probably were..Naraku had rendered Kirara paralyzed so that she couldn't protect her friends that *couldn't* see.. She needed to tell the others.  
  
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Miroku saw two forms ferociously attacking one another. But each one easily dodged the others attack. It appeared as though their powers were equally matched. He knew his air rip was useless, no doubt in his mind that the insects were around. So what could he do? Nothing..he realized...nothing but watch..  
Suddenly, Sango's voice startled him out of his thoughts.  
  
"Naraku is not here alo-" Sango began, but she was silenced by another voice. A very frightened voice that yelled out her name in warning. Kagome.  
  
" SANGO!!"  
  
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Kagome watched as the two blurry figures fought each other. All the jewel shards that Naraku possessed gave off a dim light. She wandered if she as the only one who could see it, if it was just an effect of being the shard detector. 'probably...lucky me'... But at least the light made it easier for her to see the battle, and to tell which fighter was which. One of the fighters appeared to be a big red blurry form, while the other was a big white blurry form. It went without saying that neither of the blurs were winning.   
  
Then she sensed something she hadn't sensed before. The jewel shards from Naraku had seized all her attention at first, the aura of which was so strong that it had blocked out any others.. but know she was beginning to notice something else. More jewel shards, and they definitely were not coming from Naraku.She looked around cautiously, trying to sense the direction they came from, it was hard, trying to block out the ones from Naraku, but, concentrating as hard as she could, she was able to sense them.  
  
To her horror, she realized they didn't come from just *one* direction. There were three separate ones, one was still a safe distance away, the others however, were dangerously close.  
  
She looked around once again, trying to spot the knew enemies. Then she saw them. Although even more dimly lit than Naraku, as they clearly did not possess as many jewel shards as him, they were still visible to Kagome. It was Kohaku and Kanna, and where they were sent chills all over her body. For, the two evil beings, were so close to Sango they could reach out and touch her, or kill her...Kagome figured they intended to do the latter. And as if farther proof of this, she saw Kohaku reach for his the handle of his chain sickle..  
  
"SANGO!!!"   
  
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Sango knew what Kagome meant when she yelled her name like *that*. It was the same way Kagome yelled Inuyasha's name when ever he was in danger, or whenever she feared for his life...   
  
'Ok, so, I am in immediate danger, and I can't see a thing...grrrrreeeeeat, what am I supposed to do now...'  
oh kami, I hope that swishing sound isn't what I think it is...'Before that thought could process anymore, it was interrupted by another distressed yell.  
  
"SANGO!!", That wasn't Kagome. No, she knew that voice oh to well, and it definitely wasn't Kagome.  
And then she felt a huge force slam her to the ground.  
  
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Miroku heard Kagome yell Sango's name *that* way. He knew what that yell meant.  
  
He jerked his head over to where he had last saw Sango, sitting up against Kirara. At first, all he saw was a startled Sango, looking around blindly for any sign of danger.   
  
Then, straining his eyes he saw them, Kanna and Kohaku, but it was the latter that struck terror in his heart.  
Kohaku was posed in a threatening stance, grasping his chain sickle by the handle. A rather sharp and pointy sickle, and, Miroku realized, he held it over his head with every intent of stabbing his sister to death with it. Then the sickle was traveling down at Sango..  
  
Miroku didn't have time to consider what he was about to do. He knew that if he didn't do *something* Sango was done for. His options were limited, in fact..at this point..there really was only one.  
But, if it meant saving Sango, he was perfectly alright with it.  
  
'Well Sango, I hope this makes up for all those times I groped other girls..."  
  
With that thought sounding in his mind, Miroku dove onto Sango, in hopes of taking the blow himself. He felt his body hit Sango with full force and thankfully, he realized his own body had covered her own.  
  
If not for the situation, Miroku noticed that he would have rather enjoyed being in this position with her..but soon those thoughts were stifled by an icy cold pain as the sickle tore into the small of his back.  
  
His time was now very limited, with each blow death crept closer..but..that really had been how he had lived his whole life, death was always just peaking around the corner..and for once, that thought wasn't quite as scary.  
  
But he wasn't about to die like this, no, there was something he had to say first, to at least give Sango some kind of closure, so that, years from now she wouldn't be wandering whether he had been serious or not...just so that she would know that he did in fact love her...never before had he regretted not saying something so much.  
  
"Now I know what true pain feels like.', he said aloud, his voice haggard and in a slow whisper, hoping Sango could here him. His face contorted into a pained grimace, as the sickle went into his back countless more times,   
  
'Its not the pain of the sickle, its the pain of knowing that I'll never get to be with you if I die...please Sango..know that I've always loved you...'  
  
And with that last sentence, everything fell into a pit of complete darkness and the world turned to nothingness.  
  
********************************************************************************************************************  
  
Kagome could only watch, horror stricken as Kohaku's sickle came down upon her unknowing friend. Kohaku that seemed to have no knowledge that the person below him was his own sister, Kohaku that had not an expression on his face, with eyes so lifeless he might as well have been dead...perhaps he was...his soul at least...  
  
But then before Kagome a noble deed was done. Sango had been saved. Someone had sacrificed their own life in order to save Sango's.  
  
She watched as the body that had blanketed Sango was stabbed repeatedly by the Naraku-controled Kohaku. She watched as the solid white Kanna just stood back and laughed. And she knew who had performed the ultimate sacrifice, she knew there was only one person who cared for Sango enough to give their own life.   
  
Tears ran down her face as she realized Miroku was dead.   
  
And then, the body of Miroku was thrusted into the air, followed by a tortured scream of angst.  
  
****************************************************************************************************************  
  
It took Sango a minute to realize what had happened. She had been slammed to the ground. At first she had thought it was either Kohaku, Kanna, or Kagura who had done it, attempting to harm her in some way.  
  
Then she noticed that the body on top of her was not doing anything but holding her..no, not holding her..the body was shielding her!   
  
And then she heard the voice, his voice, though full of pain and raspy, his voice spoke to her,   
and the words broke her heart.  
  
"Now I know what true pain feels like", said the voice, and there was a pause as the one on top of her was stabbed yet again, "It's not the pain of the sickle, its the pain of knowing that I'll never get to be with you if I die...please Sango..know that I've always loved you ", the voice, *his* voice, trailed off and she  
felt him go limp on top of her.  
  
"Miroku.."  
  
And, with a resolved scream, she hurled his body off and proceeded to face the one who had killed Miroku.  
  
"Who was it, Kagome, which one killed him?", she stood, trembling, her voice shaking.  
  
"Sango...It was Kohaku...", Kagome wasn't sure how Sango would take that..it *was* her brother..  
  
The demon exterminator almost laughed, it figured didn't it? It *would* be him..that would be the way Naraku would want it..always loving to push the limits..  
  
"So be it then.", The voice that escaped her mouth hardly resembled her own, it was frighteningly low and far too harsh for herself...was this what hatred did to you?  
  
She turned her head to where she had heard Kagome, "Where is he Kagome?"  
  
"Looking for me?". It was a bitter and particularly taunting voice..her brother had never sounded like that..but it was him..standing directly behind her.  
  
Sango turned and rushed blindly at the voice. She knew the body was her brother, but she also knew that his soul was gone. With a fury she didn't know she could possess, she mercilessly beat Kohaku with her boomerang, ignoring the sharp pains of his sickle as he stabbed her any chance he got.   
  
'If I cannot avenge my people, if I cannot save my brother, if nothing else, I will avenge the death of the man I love, if not, I will die trying.'.  
  
With that thought, she raised her boomerang and delivered a fatal blow to Kohaku's head. The shell of Kohaku collapsed onto the ground, and Sango went with him.  
  
It had become quite obvious to her that Kohaku had obviously gotten enough stabs in to prove fatal. But at least she had avenged Miroku, at least she had made sure Kohaku couldn't get to Kagome.   
  
As, she lay there dieing from her wounds, covered in her own blood, as well as Miroku's and her brother's, she whispered one last sentence, praying silently that Kagome would hear it.  
  
"Make sure that this was not all in vain Kagome, make sure that Naraku dies."  
  
******************************************************  
  
Kagome stood in complete shock as she witnessed Sango try her best to avenge Miroku.   
  
She could only stare in horror as Sango hit air with her boomerang countless times, not being able to see in the dark. And she watched as Kohaku took these opportunities to stab her.  
  
Tears ran down her cheeks relentlessly, but she made not a sound, she only watched. She felt like a spectator at a street fight, she felt like she was watching TV, she felt like she was anywhere but there..or maybe she would just rather that be all it was...just the TV, just a silly little fight...but there was one similarity between those two and what was actually happening, in all three situations...there was absolutely nothing she could do. Sure, she had became quite skilled with the bow and arrow, but there was absolutely no way she would be able to hit a target moving like Kohaku, especially in the dark..and further more..this wasn't her battle to fight..Sango wouldn't want her to interfere..  
  
She wanted to scream when she saw Sango go down to the ground with Kohaku, she wanted to scream when she realized she wouldn't be coming back up. But she couldn't, all she could do was watch...and mourn for the loss of her two friends.   
It was heart wrenching to hear the dieing Sango's voice, asking her to make a promise she wasn't sure she could keep. But she nodded, oh, she nodded, because she would do her best, she would try harder than anything to fulfill her now dead friend's last wish.  
  
Their lives would not have ended without reason.  
  
This would not have all been in vain.  
  
She would have just stood there until the battle with Naraku was over, the victor unknown, until the sun came up, until everyone had forgotten about the Shikon No Tama, Naraku, and all things related, until the world ended, had she not heard that awful sound.  
  
Kanna, the laughing Kanna. Despair was soon replaced with rage, and, without even thinking about it, she took an arrow and shot the still laughing Kanna straight through the heart. But that didn't stop the laughing. Kanna continued to laugh as she fell to the ground, and she continued to laugh as she lay there dieing.  
  
She just wouldn't shut up..the sound would drive anyone mad..Thankfully, Kagome had a pretty good idea of how to silence her.  
  
Stepping over the body's of two of her best friends, the lover's that never got to be just that, she stood over the ever laughing Kanna and retrieved the jewel shard embodied in her stomach.   
  
That silenced her, the ever white, Kanna's eyes turned lifeless, and the laughter finally stopped as if had never existed in the first place. She then walked over to Kohaku, and retrieved the jewel shard that Naraku had planted in his back.  
Having done that, she returned to her friends. The sun was beginning to rise already. And now Kagome wished it was still dark, so that she wouldn't have to see her friends this way. The sight of Sango was almost unbearable, not only was she covered in a combination of her blood, Miroku's, and Kohaku's, but there were also many stab wounds littering her body.   
Miroku was laying on his back, sparing Kagome the horror that she was sure to face if she were to turn him over, but his once navy robe now had a crimson hue to it.  
  
Kagome shuddered, but she had too do this, she had to leave them some dignity in death. She could not just leave their body's laying beside the very one that had killed them. So Kagome drug their body's over to Kirara, leaning them both up against the whimpering cat demon.  
  
Kagome noticed, that if one ignored the blood, they might only think that they were sleeping. How she wished that were so.   
As an after thought, she placed Sango's hand in Miroku's, as a final ode to the lover's that never were.  
  
**********A/N****  
  
Revised/Edited 2/21/03  
  
Please Review 


	8. OSUWARI!, The Power of Sit

Chapter ?: OSUWARI!!, The Power of Sit  
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Inuyasha fought Naruko. He fought with more skill and passion than he ever though he could possess. Maybe this was due to the fact that he knew this was his last chance, maybe it was due to the ultimate need to survive…or maybe he had just developed such an over whelming hatred for the son of a bitch that had finally been released into action.  
  
But it seemed that, though they had been fighting for hours, neither of them were any the worse.  
He was perfectly aware of this, though it did little to dissuade him from continuing with the fight. He wasn't about to stop, not now, not until the end. There was no way in hell he was giving up now…besides. It didn't seem to really be an option…It was more like a 'do or die' situation..and after all..everyone was counting on him.  
  
All his strength, energy, and, until just recently, attention, had been put into the fight. But know, half his mind had went elsewhere..he wasn't thinking about the fighting anymore, instinct took care of that...something had distracted him..something that had totally engulfed his senses.  
  
He could smell the blood. The scent of it sickened him. It didn't take a full youkia to know whose blood it was, and it didn't take a genius to know that no one could live without that much of it.   
  
He had felt the prescience of Kohaku and Kanna not too long ago..More precisely, the moment Kagome had screamed out Sango's name..okay, so the wench clued him in..at least he had heard her scream..That wasn't exactly the easiest thing to do in the midst of fighting for your life, as well as everyone you care about's.   
  
He had not even risked a glance it their direction, he had thought they could handle it, and, even if they couldn't, there was always tensaiga. But, even knowing that, did not stop the lump from rising in his throat when he smelt their blood. For the first time, he realized just how much he valued them as friends.  
  
First had come the scent of Miroku's blood, he recognized it easily, after all, fighting youkia everday isn't exactly a job that doesn't involve getting a few scrapes and scratches. It confused him at first. He had been thoroughly expecting to smell Sango's. After all, that had been the name that Kagome had called out...and unless Kagome's eyesight was even worse than he had thought, that should have been the person who was in danger. But soon he realized what had happened, and, for a fleeting second, he had felt a slight tinge of respect for the lech.  
  
Before he could so much as finish processing what was happening around him, another smell arrived. This was a scent he smelt almost everyday, the blood of the demon exterminator. Not only was her blood scent present, but it was mixed in with what he presumed to be Kohaku's...The scent of which having similarities of Sango's, such similarities could only be present in family.   
  
Given the combination of smells, he could only assume what had happened. He hadn't thought Sango had it in her, it was hard to kill someone you loved, even if the soul of that person had died a long time ago. He knew how that was, he knew oh to well…not even he could do what Sango had.  
  
The scent of one's friend's blood, is one of the worst scents around..only rivaled by one. Death. The scent of death was now hovering around the area like a thick fog, practically smothering him.  
  
Among the scent's of his friends death, was another. He inhaled deeply, just to make sure his assumptions were in fact correct.  
  
Yep, Kohaku was definitely dead, but Kanna was still very much alive. With Sango and Miroku gone, he immediately worried about Kagome.  
  
She couldn't die..he wouldn't let her. What if he didn't defeat Naraku? There wouldn't be anyone to bring her back with Tensaiga…the probability of Seshoumaru coming to her aid was, to say the least, doubtful. Even if he died..and she was all that was left..she still had *some* chance of escaping..well..more than she did if she were dead…  
Although he didn't really know what damage a girl made of nothingness could do exactly, especially with her mirror broken and all, he couldn't help but worry about Kagome.  
  
Needless to say, he was struck with terror when he smelt blood again. But after only a second of realization, he smiled, realizing who the blood belonged to. Kanna was dead, and the blood was hers. He was over come with pride for Kagome. She had, in some respect, avenged the death of her friends, even if their death was only temporary...at least that's what he hoped...  
**********************************************************************  
Kagome sat staring at her two dead friends. She couldn't help but wander if it were her fault that they were dead. Sure, that sounded almost insane..but..still..one couldn't help but wander..  
  
If she had never fell into the well, would they still be alive? Would Miroku and Sango even know each other? Would Inuyasha know either of them? No .. Inuyasha would still be pinned up to that tree..and she..well..she would be a regular old high school student, studying for exams, chatting with friends, having normal, everyday, life.  
  
The idea of a normal life had never seemed so far away .. her old life seemed so .. simple ..plain .. mundane.   
  
The troubles of not wearing the right make up, having the most popular boyfriend, and getting good grades seemed far from important after spending so many days waking up not knowing if she'd live through to the next one, so many times crying over long dead mikos and indecisive hanyous..so many hours spent contemplating on why she should choose to love someone who, by all the powers of logic, she should have never met in the first place…but, strangely enough, she realized, not for the first time, that she really wouldn't have it any other way…  
  
However..that didn't stop her from feeling..isolated. Never before had she felt such a sense of not belonging.  
  
She didn't think she could ever go back to the way she was before..before Inuyasha..before the well..before this new life..not after all she had been through. But at the same time..it seemed wrong to find your place in life 500 years in the past..  
  
What was she? Some kind of cosmic fluke? Was she even meant to be born? Was she meant to have died as a small child, before she could reek havoc on a different time period? Had the gods accidentally overlooked her, made the mistake of forgetting to make her accidentally fall down the stairs to her death at the age of three, forgetting to make her contract some fatal disease in infancy?   
  
'I must have been meant to die, my whole life must just be some horrible mistake, after all, why would the gods porously let someone live only to upset the balance of time?'  
  
Every little thing she did here was changing something in the future, every little thing she did here changed something in some way. How much longer would it be before she began to randomly appear in history books?  
  
Or maybe it wasn't a mistake that she had lived. Maybe it had been a mistake that she had been born. Not that she had been born in the first place, but that she had been born when she was. Maybe she was supposed to have been born in Feudal Japan, and this was the gods way of fixing that little mistake.   
  
Or maybe someone just couldn't decide when they wanted her to live so they just picked both. Did she have life changing things to do in both time periods? That's a lot of pressure to put on a fifteen year old.  
  
Or maybe this was all just some cruel joke made by the gods, maybe she was just born so the gods could get a few laughs in.   
  
Or maybe *she* was meant to decide, maybe the god's *really* couldn't decide when they wanted her to live, maybe she had important things to do in both times. Maybe the god's had thought it fair that she decide for herself when to live. Maybe she had been given a choice.  
  
But where did she belong? At this point, did she really belong anywhere?  
  
She might have gone on thinking those thoughts, those thoughts that were sure to drive her insane..if it weren't for one little thing.  
  
She remembered something, that, in all the action that had just ensued, she had forgotten.  
  
Or rather, it wasn't that she suddenly *remembered* , something just happened to jog her memory.  
Jewel shards.  
  
With Kohaku and Kanna dead, and the shards definitely not coming from Naraku, that left only one person.  
  
Kagura, and she was close.  
  
So close in fact, that Kagome was afraid to turn around.   
  
But then she didn't have to, instead, a hand was clamped over her mouth and she was brought up from the ground by slender arms, toned with the muscles of someone with obvious fighting experience.   
  
The motion was so swift that she didn't realize what was happening until it was too late.   
  
The wind youkia had her, holding her firmly against her own body. So tightly, that she couldn't move.  
  
With both her bow and arrows still laying on the ground, right beside the place that she had been sitting only second before, she was weaponless.  
  
And in the position she was in currently…it also seemed that she was quite defenseless.  
  
What was she going to do now?  
  
*************************  
Inuyasha sniffed at the air tentatively, he had caught a new scent on the wind and decided it best to investigate…great..another unwelcome visitor.  
  
Kagura. Of course, how could he possibly have forgotten her? Was Kagome ok? He didn't smell her blood..but..what if Kagura had poisoned her or something? What if..what if she was hurting her? Kagura was *much* stronger than Kagome..the girl really didn't stand much of a chance..even worse, he could smell her fear.  
  
Was she safe? Maybe she could use her bow and arrows..she *had* gotten pretty good with them..  
  
He blocked another blow from Naraku, not even thinking about it, his mind was on Kagome.  
  
"Hey InuYasha!"..such a mocking voice..  
  
That overly cocky voice was unmistakable. That stupid bitch was calling out to him! it was all he could do to restrain himself from glancing over to where it came from…what if she had Kagome?!  
  
" I got your little bitch, Inuyasha." Kagura called again, taunting him  
  
That was it, he couldn't restrain himself any longer, he had to make sure Kagome was all right.  
  
He risked a glance in the direction the voice had came from. However, before he could see what was going on, before he could see anything for that matter, the world went black.  
************************************************************************  
Kagome was scared, and rightfully so. Kagura's grip was strong and firm, there wasn't any getting out of it. Even so, that didn't stop her from struggling, even if she couldn't escape, she sure wasn't going to go out with out a fight..and she was gonna make Kagura's experience as unpleasant as possible.  
" Hold still you little bitch!, I'm not going to kill you, I want Naraku dead just as much as you."  
Now that didn't make any sense! If she was on their side..then why was she holding her against her will. Kagome tried to talk, her voice muffled by Kagura's hand, even so, one could still understand what she was saying.  
" Then why the fuck are you holding me like this?"   
  
She was angry, but that didn't stop her from blushing. It was the first time she had ever used a word like that before, and, even given the situation, she still felt slightly ashamed of herself for using such language.  
  
"Oooh what a dirty mouth you have, but, to answer your question, everyone knows that Inuyasha fights better when he thinks his little bitch is in trouble."   
  
With that statement of explanation, Kagura proceeded to yell at Inuyasha.  
"Hey Inuyasha!!" she began mockingly, " I got your little bitch, Inuyasha."  
"Oh Kami..no..", It was the first thing that left her mouth, but it too, was barely audible due to the hand over her mouth.   
  
She knew that Kagura had made a big mistake in what she had just did. She knew that Kagura had made a mistake that, might possibly, end both their lives, not to mention Inuyasha's.   
Because, Kagome had thoroughly predicted what would happen as soon as Kagura spoke the words 'Hey Inuyasha', she knew all too well that Inuyasha would just *have* to check to make sure she was alright. And, she knew, that that would be all the time Naraku would need to get the upper hand.  
She turned her head in the direction that she had been trying her best to avoid, she hadn't wanted to watch Inuyasha fight Naraku..what if he didn't make it..she couldn't bare to watch him die too.  
  
But now she was forced to, so she looked, watched as her prediction came true.  
  
Just as Inuyasha turned to look at her, Naraku used that instant to hit him upside the head, hard enough to knock even a full demon unconscious.   
"oops...", The single word had come from Kagura, but it was still genuinely remorseful, she really hadn't expected *that* to happen....  
'Oh Kami, what's he going to do to him now?', Kagome's thoughts were soon answered as Naraku grabbed the collar of Inuyasha's Fire Rat Kimono and lifted him above himself into the air. Naraku readied his other hand for some sort of energy blast, more than likely one that would prove fatal.  
  
With one swift movement, Kagome bit down as hard as she could on Kagura's hand and threw her body off of her own.   
  
Before the wind youkia could so much as process what had happened, the girl from the future yelled the first thing that came to mind, which, also happened to be the only thing that could possibly save them at that moment.  
"SIT BOY, SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT!!!!!!!!"  
  
And, the body of Inuyasha suddenly came crashing down on top of Naraku. Catching him completely off guard. Not to mention knocking him out.  
Kagome knew this was her only chance. Grabbing an arrow, she swallowed her fear and ran over to where Naraku lay, pinned to the ground by a very unconscious hanyou.   
  
She grabbed the untransformed Tetusaiga from where it had fallen on the ground, after Inuyasha had dropped it when he lost consciousness. Mumbling the occasional "sit", to keep Naraku pinned, she used the Tetusaiga to cut open Naraku's nasty baboon pelt, as it seemed the only way to get it off with Inuyasha still pinning him down.   
  
She cut quickly, afraid of what would happen if Naraku woke up, even the power of 'sit' might not be able to hold HIM down.  
  
Finally, she had exposed Naraku's bare chest.  
Ignoring the way that just the thought of what she was about to do made her stomach churn, she took her arrow and, using it as a dagger, plunged it into Naraku's chest, right into his heart, assuming the bastard had one. She wasn't sure that would kill him though.  
She hesitated a bit after seeing the arrow safely planted in Naraku's heart, she didn't really want to do what she was about to.  
  
It was gruesome, it was gory, it was much more Inuyasha's line of business than her own, but, it seemed, she was the only one there to do it right now. She had to do it, she had to do it to fulfill her promise to Sango.  
"For Sango, for Miroku..", her voice was a harsh whisper, but it didn't falter, and she managed to keep it free from exposing the way her body was trembling in fear.  
  
Grimacing slightly, she once again grabbed the rusty old katana that turned into Tetusaiga when in Inuyasha's grasp, and then she proceeded to do what Inuyasha had almost done to Miroku.   
  
She cut off Naraku's head. It was difficult, the katana was dull, but after a few awful minutes, Naraku's head finally separated from his body and rolled a few feet away. Blood was everywhere. Kagome was covered in it, but, at that point, it didn't seem that she really cared much, or maybe she didn't even notice.  
"I want you to rot in hell, bastard, I just hope you don't enjoy it too much there."  
  
She was completely emotionally worn out, as well as physically, and it showed through in her half attempt at a heroic sentence.  
  
She collapsed, sobbing...this had really been quite a day..  
  
Soon she too joined the land of the unconscious, she fell sleep.   
*********************************************************  
  
Revised/edited 2/24/02  
  
Please Review.. 


	9. I Did That?

Chapter9 : I did that…?  
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Kagome slowly opened her eyes,  
  
What were those two black things? And why were they in the middle of that round peach colored thing? And why was that dark mass of hair like stuff stuck to it.  
  
And then her eyes became focused...  
  
"EEEEEEEP"   
  
With her eyes focused, it didn't take that long to realize that she had been staring into the dead eyes of the decapitated Naraku.   
"So, you finally woke up did you?"  
  
Kagome jerked her head around in terror.  
Who was that? What did they want with her? Surely there wasn't going to have to be even *more* fighting.  
  
Instead of facing the voice, something tall, decked in read had blocked her line of vision. Inuyasha? He was awake? It certainly wasn't *him* that had been talking before.  
"Don't tell me you forgot about little old me..", Inuyasha moved a little to the side,  
now no longer blocking Kagome's view. Kagura. She was still here, and still very much alive..smirking.  
  
"Relax Inuyasha, I don't plan to kill you or your little bitch,...just thought I'd stick around until one of you woke up, and congratulate the your wench on killing the big bad demon, of course, she appears to have woken you both up with that little scream of hers, in fact, I'm surprised it didn't wake up your two *dead* friends.."  
Inuyasha was taken aback for a moment. Surely Kagura wasn't saying that *Kagome* had killed Naraku. That was … *impossible*! It defied all laws of logic. Naraku was an evil demon that he himself couldn't even defeat, and, Kagome, was, well .. Kagome!   
  
But If *he* hadn't killed him, and it most positively wasn't Miroku or Sango, and he had ruled out the unlikely candidate of Kagome … Then who could have killed Naraku?  
  
A thought popped into Inuyasha's mind. Why had he been asleep? And what had he been sleeping on? Automatically his attention went to the spot where he had been sleeping. He hadn't had time to wander what it was he was on top of at the time, he had just jumped off of whatever he seemed to be laying on and went to protect Kagome when she screamed.  
  
But now, seeing as how Kagura didn't seem to want to kill him, he had the time to examine things. There, right where he had jumped from, was the bloody, headless Naraku, a site even he could barely stomach.   
  
There was NO way Kagome could have done that! She just didn't strike him as the kind of girl that went around decapiting *anything*.  
Kagura noticed the look of disbelief Inuyasha was getting, and the way he kept staring at the dead corpse, and then at Kagome, his confusion only caused her to smirk more.  
  
"Oh, you heard me right Inuyasha, your little bitch killed him, you should have seen her when you got yourself knocked out, just took off there and went to hacking off the poor guys head."  
Inuyasha growled, remembering just who had been the cause of him getting knocked out. The idiot Kagura. The stupid little wench.  
"I wouldn't have been knocked out if it hadn't been for you, you bitch.  
The way that the dog demon was advancing on her, in a most threatening manner, was causing her great unease, though she covered it up by continuing to mock him.  
"I stick around just to make sure everyone's alright, even offer my congratulations, and what thanks do I get?, such bad manners Inuyasha!, and in front of your mate too!"  
Inuyasha was seriously getting pissed now.   
  
"She's not my mate!"   
  
Why did everyone keep calling her that? They knew she wasn't marked as his, or anybody's for that matter!   
  
The more logical side of his brain disagreed with him, 'yeah, but everyone knows you want her to be'.  
  
  
Even his stubborn self couldn't deny that, 'No I don't...wait...I don't know..what about Kikyou, what about the difference in our times periods, what about the fact that I'm a hanyou and she's a human....if...we did become mates...she would be dead long before I even reach the physical appearance of a twenty five year old...'   
" Oh sure, of course she's not your mate, I don't know *what* I was thinking...but anyway, I suppose you want this?", she smiled a little and held up her shikon shard "here take it, I don't really want it anyway, besides, I guess I owe you something for killing that bastard.."  
With that sentence, she tossed the shard to Kagome and left without a backwards glance.   
  
Kagome who, up until now had been staring in shock at the headless body of Naraku, absently put the shard with the rest of her collection.  
"I...I...I did that..."  
  
She continued to stare at the blood that glistened in the afternoon sunlight, the blood that was everywhere, just staring, trying to let the full weight of what she had done only hours before register in her mind. She was still so very shocked..And the way Inuyasha was looking at her, was starting to make her feel rather uncomfortable.  
Hoping it would make Inuyasha stop looking at her like that, she repeated what she had already said, this time with more confidence.  
  
"I did that."  
"*You* did *that*??!??!?!", sure, Kagura had already said it, but hearing Kagome confirm it was totally different.  
  
"Yes.."  
"But...how?"  
  
"You...You were knocked out...he was going to kill you...sooo...I just had to save you...and I just yelled the first thing that came to my mind..."  
"And that was??", Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest, anxious for her to go on.  
" Sit.."   
  
With that word, Inuyasha went crashing into the blood soaked ground, cursing like a sailor..or at least, that's the analogy Kagome would have made, if, in fact, she had ever heard a sailor cursing, actually, a cursing sailor was not near as bad as Inuyasha's 'colorful' choice of language.  
  
"WHAT WAS THAT FOR WENCH?!!"  
"oh...sorry...that's just..thats what I yelled to save you.."  
Inuyasha didn't say anything for a moment, contemplating whether or not he should pursue an argument, at last, he decided it really wasn't worth it.   
  
"Oh...so..well..what did you do then? And don't "accidentally" say that word again.."  
"Well...I went over and stabbed him with my arrow.."  
  
"And you just didn't think that was enough?", Inuyasha asked sarcastically as he made a pointed glance towards Naraku's head.  
"I just wanted to make sure he was dead...", All this talk was seriously embarrassing Kagome, though she didn't know why.  
"So you beheaded him?!"  
"Well would you have rather I just let him kill you?"  
"I think it is safe to say he wouldn't have been killing anybody with that sacred arrow in his heart."  
"I just had to make sure he was dead!"  
"Alright, alright, you decapitated him 'just to make sure he was dead', and it had nothing to do with built up anger or hatred towards him?"  
Kagome blushed, maybe that *might* have had a little to do with it.  
  
"Personally..", started Inuyasha, "I would have torn him to shreds."  
"I can't believe I did that..."  
"I can't believe *you* saved ME..!  
  
"  
  
"Well, what would I have done with you dead? Run off to Sesshoumaru? Not bloody likely!"   
Inuyasha looked to the ground and mumbled something. "Thanks..."   
"Well, I had to make up for all those times that you saved me.."  
Before the moment could get any more sentimental, a look of 'Oh I just remembered something' came across Kagome's face, which was quickly followed by her running over to the corpse of Naraku, and digging around for something.  
"Just what the hell are you *doing* ??!?"  
"Getting these..", she brought her hand away from Naraku and held open her palm, it was completely full of jewel shards..  
"Oh...well...put it together wench..."  
Kagome briefly glared at Inuyasha but then pulled out her collection of jewel shards, and put the new found jewel shards in place. The jewel was complete.  
"Its done Inuyasha..."  
"Is it Kagome?" Kagome had never heard Inuyasha sound so forlorn,.. he turned his head to survey the battle scene.  
  
  
  
Blood was everywhere...the decapitated head of Naraku lay not far from his feet. The rest of the carcass was not far, covered in a now crimson baboon pelt..A few yards away lay Kirara...still in her demon form, propping up his two dead friends, his two dead friends that were covered in blood, though Sango seemed to have more on her that Miroku, but it was doubtful that all of it was her own.  
  
The way Kagome had sat Miroku, you couldn't see the stab wounds...the only sign of the battle was the new color of his robes...Sango's was a little more obvious, her exterminator suit had been torn in many places where the sickle had went in...there were about 5 stab wounds, at least, that's all he could see anyway.. Her upper body seemed to have taken most of the damage..at least there were no cuts on her face...then he remembered something...  
  
'Oh..shit..'  
Something told Kagome that when he had responded to her statement, he wasn't just talking about the Shikon No Tama. And she couldn't help wandering the same thing. 'Is it done? Is it really over now...? Do I go back to my time...my true time, as Inuyasha puts it, and just pretend as if nothing ever happened? Is it my true time?'   
  
Her thoughts went back to her earlier inner battle she had been having before Kagura showed up. She wanted to reply to his question with 'Do you want it to be?', even though she knew that Inuyasha hadn't meant for her to answer. But she was to scared to ask that, to scared of what the answer might be. Then Kagome noticed Inuyasha staring at the body's of Sango and Miroku, she then thought she saw him flinch, as if he had just remembered something horrible..  
"Is something wrong, Inuyasha? Shouldn't you go bring them back to life now?"  
"Umm...Kagome?....we need to go find Sesshoumaru.."  
"Why?"  
  
"Because...he's the only one that knows how to use Tensaiga..."  
***A/N**  
  
Revised/edited 2/28/03 


	10. Seshoumaru to the Rescue err well some...

Chapter ?: Sesshoumaru to the Rescue  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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"You don't know how to use it? Then why would he give it to you?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I don't know! Maybe he's just a bakka!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Or maybe he assumed you would be smart enough to know how it worked! Or that you would have asked if you didn't!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well...I just assumed we wouldn't need it.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"WOULDN'T NEED IT??!, we were going to fight your worst enemy, and you didn't think we would need it!!?? Honestly Inuyasha! Sometimes I seriously wander about you...."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Shut up bakka."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"SIT"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*CRASH*  
  
  
  
  
  
"HEY!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"You called me a bakka!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh...let's just go wench, before it gets to late to bring them back..."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"too late?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yeah, we don't have forever!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh...I guess I just didn't think about that..."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Bakka..."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome glared at Inuyasha...But there wasn't time for anymore of their pointless arguing..They had to get Miroku and Sango back..before it was too late..The idea that it could actualy get too late hadn't even crossed her mind untill now...thanks to Inuyasha..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Alright Inuyasha, lets go find your brother.."  
  
  
  
  
  
"half brother.."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Whatever...come on.."  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha and Kagome went over to their two currantly dead friends.Inuyasha hoisted Miroku over his shoulder, so that he could carry him like a sack of potatoes. Then he began to put Sango onto Kirara.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Don't Inuyasha....Kirara hasn't been out her demon form in almost two days now, shes also been toting all of us around for just as long...give her a rest.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I can't carry the lech, you on my back, AND Sango!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I can walk...I'll carry Sango.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"You?! Your just a weak human wench! How could you carry Sango!?! Besides, we don't know how far away Shesshoumaru is!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I may just be a weak human, and I may be a girl..but they give us those P.E classes in school for a reason. Surely I can carry someone who weighs less than me! And, believe it or not, I bet Seshoumaru is a whole lot closer than you think, he may be mean, he may hate you with a passion, but he has got to be curious on how our fight went!, and I'm sure hes keeping close tabs on Tensaiga ..."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh...fine then, carry Sango, I don't care..."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha scowled and then handed Sango over to Kagome. At first, Kagome seemed to be having trouble with her weight, but, after a few adjustments, ending up with Sango in the same position on her shoulder as Miroku was on Inuyasha's, she seemed to not be having any problems at all.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Untransform Kirara.."  
  
  
  
  
The cat demon looked up at her with sad eyes, then looked to where Sango was on her shoulder..Kirara then turned back into her two tailed kittie form.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"It's ok Kirara...she'll be back in no time.."..Kagome said, trying to reasure the little kittie, as well as herself.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Come on Inuyasha...lets go.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Are you sure your alright carrying Sango?" Inuyasha asked, with a hint of concern.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I'm fine, I can hardly tell she's there.", kagome said with a reasuring smile.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Alright then...follow me.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha set out to find his half brother, following his scent. Kagome was right about him being curious, his scent was pretty strong. And that meant he couldn't be too far away. Kagome seemed to be acting a little strange though..'Well, I guess watching two of your friends die can do that to you.'...But it seemed like there was something more behind..Perhaps it was the same thing that was bothering him..or maybe not..'UGH! STOP THINKING ABOUT IT YOU BAKKA! JUST IGNORE IT AND TRY TO FIND YOUR BROTHER..YOU CAN DEAL WITH THAT LATER!', he told himself..and began to concentrate solely on his brother's scent.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome sighed, Sango was pretty heavy, but there was no way she was going to tell Inuyasha that. She would carry Sango across the world and back before she did that! So she trudged on, ignoring the gowing pain in her shoulder and legs..Kirara followed closely behind.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
  
  
Sheshoumaru sat with Rin in a small clearing. He could smell the half breed from here, and his bitch...and the other humans that his half brother traveled with, not to mention the cat demon. But he knew that the other two humans were dead. He could smell the death from here. Seshoumaru hated that smell...all demons hated that smell..unless of course they were the ones who had made the smell..He could smell the death of the two humans, and he could smell the death of two of Naruko's underlings, but, most importantly, he could smell the death of Naruko.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'At least the half breed has finaly done something right..', he mused..Although there had been rumors, rumors that it hadn't been Inuyasha that killed him, but his mate. He had laughed when he had heard them, and he never laughed, never ever, but when he had heard something that absurd, it had been impossible not to let out a small chuckle. He had heard many different versions of the story, but the one he had heard the most had Inuyasha's mate decapitating Naruko! That had to be the most absurd of them all!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Why are you smiling Seshoumaru-sama?" asked an , as always, perky Rin.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I'm not smiling."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sure you are, your smiling just like you were the day that you gave me frog legs."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I don't know what your talking about, run along and play now...but don't go too far.."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Ok Sesshy!"  
  
  
  
  
  
He shuddered, he hated being called that...it was such a degrading name..if anyone else had said it, he would have killed them on the spot..but not Rin..nope..not Rin...'How can I feel anything but hatred towards a human!?', he scolded himself mentaly. Well, at least he would never take one for his mate, not like that bakka hanyou brother of his. He knew his half brother was looking for him, and he knew why..They would be here soon..The bakka didn't even know how to use Tensaiga..hes such a disgrace to the family.'..and here I am helping him...Im such a bakka...', and his mate had even went so far as to accuse him of wearing "make up", whatever that is, and she had made fun of his tail! His TAIL!....and he was STILL going to help them.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
They would be here soon, and he would have to bring their friends back to life...but even if they were brought back...their injuries were bad...and they still might not survive.  
  
  
  
  
  
**********************************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Are we almost there yet?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
" Feh, you sound like Shippo, besides, your the one who insisted on carring Sango..."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
They had been walking less than thirty minutes but it felt like an eternity, well, it did to Kagome at least. Not only was she carrying someone who weighed almost her own body weight, but with each minute they took, Sango and Miroku's souls were getting farther and farther away..  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha saw her pained expression..it wasn't fair for him to be mean to her, she had, afterall, just killed his number one enemy..not only that, but she had completed the Shikon No Tama...but...he almost wished that that was something they hadn't done..  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh, don't worry Kagome...It won't be much longer at all.."  
  
  
  
  
And it wasn't long..Soon they came to a trail in the middle of the forest.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"He's realy close, theres a clearing at the end of this trail...thats probably where he is."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
As if farther proof of this, Kagome and Inuyasha both heard giggles coming from a nearbye bush.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Rin?", Kagome guessed.  
  
  
  
  
  
The bush giggled again and then shook as Rin popped out.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Seshoumaru-Sama is that way!", the perky little girl said, pointing up the trail.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Thanks Rin...hes probably worried about you..why don't you come with us.", Kagome suggested.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Ok!.." the bubbly little girls face grew somber as she noticed what Kagome and Inuyasha were carrying.."What happened to your friends?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh, they were hurt in the battle, but Seshoumaru is going to make them all better.", Kagome reasured the troubled little girl.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Goody!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha just continued to look ahead, passively.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Lets go Kagome....Rin.." he stated..hesitating a while before adding the last name.  
  
  
  
  
  
"ooh pretty Kitty, can I carry it?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sure Rin, its name is Kirara..it belonged...belongs to Sango.."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh ok, hello Kirara."  
  
  
  
  
  
Rin picked up Kirara, cuddling the cat against her chest. Then they all sat off up the trail to find Sheshoumaru.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*********  
  
  
  
  
Soon they had arrived at the clearing. Sheshoumaru was sitting on a large rock.  
  
  
  
  
  
"So, hows my favorite brother doing?", asked a sickeningly sarcastic Inuyasha.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Do you want me to bring them back or not?", asked Seshoumaru, agitated.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome walked over to Seshoumaru and handed him Sango. Seshoumaru took the girl he was handed, not knowing what else to do.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Please bring her back...I..don't want them to have died because of me.."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Because of you?!!" asked Inuyasha surprised.."It wasn't your fault.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome only glanced at him...her tear brimmed eyes told him not to say anything else..just..to let it be..they had other problems right now.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I will bring them back..but not with Rin around..take her away for a while..When you come back, they will be alive...but, i hope you know half breed , that, although I can bring them back..."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh...I know.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Know what?" asked Kagome...worried.  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha turned to look at her...their was sadness in his eyes..  
  
  
  
  
  
"He can bring them back...but, their injuries are bad Kagome..."  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome glanced at her two dead friends and laughed. It was a somber laugh, but it was a laugh none the less.  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha and Shesshoumaru looked at her as if she were crazy..Rin just giggled, she didn't know why she was laughing, but, if Seshoumaru's brother's mate was laughing, then something must be worth laughing at.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Clearly, your forgeting one thing Inuyasha.."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh! And what is that wench."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"The well...and the advances of modern medicine.."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Seshoumaru, for the first time in his life, looked confused.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Don't ask..", was all Inuyasha said.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Seshoumaru nodded.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Come on Inuyasha..lets go..come on Rin.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha threw Tensaiga to Seshoumaru..and then turned and walked back out of the clearing. Kagome and Rin followed close behind.  
  
  
  
  
*************************************************************************************************************************************************  
  
Well..theres another chapter..woopee..im a little angree with ff.net right now..its giving me problems..anyways...three favorite reviewers are...kaylana, bubbles, and, Admiral biatch...*sends them all imaginary Myougas*....anyway  
  
  
And a special thanks o Admiral Biatch for sending me info on Tensaiga..  
  
REVIEW...and the next chapter will be posted sooner or later...more than likely sooner..  
  
REVIEW REVEIW REVIEW 


	11. Waiting

Chapter ?: Waiting.  
  
  
  
  
**********  
  
  
Inuyasha, Kagome, and an always grinning Rin, who was still holding Kirara, walked slowly back down the path.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Do you think they will be alright, Inuyasha."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Your the one who laughed when I said they might not be."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well, I don't know, I'm just a little worried."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"They will be fine Kagome."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Rin just continued to grin and began to skip merrily.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What are we supposed to do while we wait?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh, How am I supposed to know?", then, after taking a look at Kagome, one possible thing for them to do, well, for her to do, occured to him, "You could go take one of those baths you always insist on taking, this is the first time you've ever realy needed one."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome glanced down at her self. Her normaly white school uniform top was torn and bloody. Her skirt was covered in little splatters of blood. She brought her hand up to her hair and felt that it too, was matted together with blood. Bringing her arms in front of her face, she saw the smeared dried blood on them everywhere. It was a wander little Rin hadn't went screaming into the night..er..day...after seeing her..'Well, I guess this is what happens when you cut off someones head with a rusty old katana and then move the dead bodys of your friends around.'...  
  
  
  
  
A blush rose on her cheeks as she conjured up a mental image of what she must look like.   
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha barely had any blood on him at all, he had a small slash on his cheek, and a few blood splatters littered his fire rat shirt, no doubt the affect of the hacking involved in the decapitation of Naruko. But, the blood blended with the red in his shirt, and, other than a few stray smears of blood and the slash, he looked as normal.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Do you know where a hot spring is Inuyasha, or at least a lake?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh, it'll take a lot more than a hot spring to fix your un-if-orm, and you seem to have forgotten your backpack, it dousn't matter much, whatevers in it is probably soaked in blood as well, come here and get on my back, I know where there is a hot spring, but there is somewhere else we are gonna go first."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'Oops..', thought Kagome..'there goes about four pairs of clothes and anything else I put in there that could stain..oh well..'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
" What about Rin?" she asked.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kirara has had her rest, surely she can carry a little girl a little ways."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"fine..Kirara, transform.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The little two tailed kittie jumped from Rin's arms.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oooh the pretty kittie is getting to be a big pretty kittie!"  
  
  
  
  
  
" Rin, Do you want to ride on the pretty kittie?" Kagome asked in an overly enthusiastic voice.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"YES!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Good, hop on and hold on tight."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Rin did just that and Kagome hopped on Inuyasha's back. Inuyasha set off into the woods, Kirara followed.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
****  
  
  
  
  
  
After a few minutes, they came to a village.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What are we doing here Inuyasha?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh, Kirara, stay here with Rin, villagers don't take two well to demons, or humans who hang around them."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What about your mate Inuyasha? Shes a human and your a demon!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome blushed at being called Inuyasha's mate.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh, shes not my mate. And besides, we have to go, and it'll be a lot easier if its just the two of us.", explained an impatient Inuyasha, as he turned away from them and began to walk into the village. "Come on wench."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Coming..", came the reply of a somewhat reluctant Kagome. She didn't want to go to a village looking like this. They had all the jewel shards, so why would they need to go to a village?  
Besides that, villagers hated Inuyasha. Why would he go here willingly. But she followed him, curious as to what the were doing here.  
  
  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Soon they arrived at the market place. Inuyasha lead Kagome over to a kimono vender.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What are we doing here Inuyasha?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Whats it look like were doing? Were finding you something decent to wear, you can't wear that any longer, just look at it!", he exlpained agitated.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Pick one.", he commanded.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"But, we don't have any money."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha dug into his outer shirt and pulled something out. It was a small leather pouch with a draw string top to close it. It jingled slightly as he tossed it to Kagome. She looked at him confused.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Its money."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Where did you get it?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Does it matter?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I got it from the monk, it fell out of his robes when I picked him up, I figure he owes you something for getting rid of his air rip."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome had almost forgot about Miroku's air rip. It was gone, thanks to her..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well!? Pick one!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome drew her attention to the Kimonos, there were queit a few, they were all very pretty, but she decided their was one that she liked best. She picked up a solid pink one.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
" I like this one Inuyasha."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"You have the money, buy it."  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome handed the man the money. The man looked less than pleased to be selling anything to someone in the company of a demon, but, money was money. He took the money from her and sent her on her way..having demons near bye was bad for business.  
  
  
  
  
*******  
Kagome and Inyuasha made their way back to the rest of the group.  
  
  
  
  
"Thanks, Inuyasha."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
" It was the leches money."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"well..thanks for taking me here."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh"  
  
  
  
  
  
Soon they were back with the others.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oooh what did you get! Whatd'ja get!!"  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome smiled at the little girl. Inuyasha averted his eyes and pretended he wasn't there. Kagome showed her the pink kimono.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"oooooooh..ITS PRETTY!, PUT IT ON PUT IT ON!!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Umm..I think I'll go take a bath first...Inuyasha, can you take me to a hot spring, or a lake, or I don't care, just as long as its some body of water.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Untransform Kirara, theres one not far away from here, we can all walk.", he replied.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kirara went back into her little kittie form and hopped into Rin's arms. The group walked a while before they came to a hotspring.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Thank you Inuyasha! And its a hot spring too!", cried Kagome enthusiasticaly. Her muscles were sore from sleeping on the heard ground..and her latest adventure.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Calm yourself Kagome, I didn't MAKE the hot spring."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Whatever..I'm just glad to finaly get to wash the blood out of my hair, I feel nasty."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"You look kind of nasty too."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome glared at Inuyasha. He looked as if he had realized his mistake and his eyes begged her not to 'sit' him. Lucky for him, instead of sitting him, as she had planned, she only continued to glare, and then she spoke.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Go away so I can take a bath...Do you wanna take a bath too, Rin?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"SURE!", she replied excited.  
  
  
  
  
  
'That girl would be on ritalin if she lived in my time..' thought Kagome as she continued to smile at the little girl. Inuyasha turned with a "Feh" and went off to god-knows-where to wait on Kagome to finish. Kirara followed, the cat demon was definately not going to get forced into taking a bath with kagome and the little hyper active girl.  
  
  
  
  
  
****  
  
  
  
  
As soon as Inuyasha left, Kagome and Rin undressed and waded into the hot spring. Kagome sat down in the water and leaned up against a rock. The water came up to her chin. Rin just splashed around merrily.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The warm water soothed Kagome's aching muscles and washed away all the evidence of the previous battle. Without her backpack, Kagome was forced to try to get all the blood out of her hair with only the hot water. It was a difficult task, but she eventualy removed all traces of any blood.  
  
  
  
  
  
She was tired..mentaly as well as physicaly. Emotionaly, she was exausted. She was only fifteen, and already she had watched her two best friends die, killed a man, well, a half man anyway, and fallen in love. She could deal with the first two, it was the last one that was bothering her.  
  
  
  
  
  
With the quest over, did that mean their 'relationship', whatever it was, was over as well? What was she supposed to do? Would he finaly go to hell with Kikyou? Would she just go back to her own time and stay there? What would Inuyasha wish for with the Shikon No Tama complete, surely he didn't still want to become a demon? Did he? She loved him, she coud never forget him, and she didn't think she could ever leave him for good.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Her thoughts went on like this for some time, as she relaxed in the hotspring. Rin splashed and laughed in the background, but Kagome didn't even notice. Finaly, she came to a decision. She knew what she would do, what she had to do. And she would do it. But now wasn't the time..she would have to wait a while...wait untill all the caos wore off, wait untill Sango and Miroku were better..just a little longer..she would just have to wait.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
That decided, she rose from the spring and went over to where she had laid there Kimonos and the sad remains of her school uniform  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Lets go Rin.", She called.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Toweless, she tried her best to wring out her hair and turned the skirt of her uniform inside outwards, where it was clean, and attempted to dry herself off with it. It didn't work too well, but it was better than nothing.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Rin didn't seem to have any problem with being wet and simply hastily put on her Kimono.  
  
  
  
  
  
'At least she didn't get her hair wet..' thought Kagome.  
  
  
  
  
  
Finding that she was as dry as she was going to get using her skirt as a towel, Kagome put on the pink Kimono. ' It is very pretty...I could get used to wearing stuff like this..if given the opportunity..' she thought to herself.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She didn't bother to put on her shoes, they looked disgusting, they were completely covered in blood and Kagome shuddered, remembering how they had clung stickily to her feet. She would go barefoot.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Where is Inuyasha, Kagome-chan?" asked the little girl, finaly addresing her as something other than Inuyasha's mate.  
  
  
  
  
  
"I don't know, but hes probably close by.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha!?" she called loudly.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The two girls waited a minute before Inuyasha came out of the forest.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Were finished Inuyasha.", Kagome informed, raking a hand through her hair, trying to get out the tangles, but it seemed to be futile, without conditioner, her hair was a tangled mess.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I can see that." resonded Inuyasha to Kagome's stating the obvious, "Here.", he added, as he tossed her a brush.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Where did you get my brush from?", asked Kagome as she ran the brush through her hair.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"From your backpack bakka."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Did you bring the back pack too?" she asked, ignoring his comment.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I realy don't think you would want your backpack, now, or anything else in it."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh..well..you wouldn't happen to have a hair band would you?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"A ha-air-band?", asked Inuyasha, confused.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"You know, like something you use to tie your hair up with."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh yeah Kagome, I put my hair up all the time, thats why I always keep a supply of h-air-bands with me."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome blushed..why had she even bothered to ask?  
  
  
  
  
  
Despite what he had said, Inuyasha seemed to be doing 'something' with his red fire rat shirt anyway. He was taking it off, Kagome soon realized.  
  
  
  
  
  
"What are you doing?" she asked incredulously.  
  
  
Rin watched on with interest.  
  
  
Inuyasha ignored her and finaly got the shirt off, he then grabbed the hem of his white shirt and began to tear off a little strip of material. After putting his outer shirt back on. He handed the string of fabric to Kagome.  
  
  
  
  
  
"You can use that for your hair...", he said, "It even matches.", he added satiricaly.  
  
  
  
  
"Thanks Inuyasha." she said while she brought her hair up into a high pony tail.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh"  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha couldn't help thinking that she looked very pretty like that..He had always thought she was pretty, but, dressed like that..In clothes from his time..it just seemed right.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"You look nice..", he mumbled, before he could back out of saying it.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Thanks.." she said blushing.  
  
  
  
  
  
" I bet Seshy is done with fixing your friends now!" , interupted Rin.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sesshy!?" questioned both Kagome and Inuyasha at the same time. Kirara looked as if she would have said the same thing if she could talk.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"He lets you call him Sesshy?" asked Kagome, after the initial shock wore of. Inuyasha probably would have asked too, had he not been laughing uncontrolably.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes, why wouldn't he?" asked a genuinly curious Rin.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome couldn't help but giggle. 'Seshy?, well maybe thats why he helped us..trying to bribe us into never telling anyone his "pet name", maybe he was afraid we had already heard her use that name for him...Seshy..' Kagome giggled again, and tried to restrain herself from laughing like Inuyasha was.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Calm yourself Inuyasha, Seshy might be mad and re-kill our friends", commanded Kagome, unable to resist using that name.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
After a few minutes Inuyasha finaly stopped laughing. But he was still smiling like an idiot.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Ok..Lets go..*small burst of laughter*, Rin is right, her Seshy is probably done now..*Burst of laughter*...sesshy...and HE makes fun of ME.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The group left to return to Seshy..Inuyasha lead the way, Kagome followed close behind, and Rin followed her.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'Maybe Sesshy is right about his brother and Kagome, maybe they are just a bunch of bakkas, they sure are acting strange, the laughed like bakkas for no reason at all..', mused a thoughful Rin as she followed the laughing idiots back to the trail.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
  
  
There, another chapter...next one should be out..well, you all are used to the drill now..anyways..on to another subject..  
  
  
This is in response to Bunnys review.  
  
she wrote:  
  
*smiles* Yey... i like this fic... but there a few things i feel i need to say.  
  
1 - Sango's 'abnormaly large boomerang' is called a haritasku...  
  
2 - Kiarra IS a yokai and would have known that the others werw dead... sorry Kagome, you weren't fooling anyone.  
  
3 - Jaken wasn't a frog   
  
*****   
  
Ok, in response to number 1, I know what its called, but, for one thing thats hard to spell, for another, 'abnormaly large boomerang' just sounds so much cooler..and for me, no matter what you call it..its steal gonna be just an abnormaly large boomerang.  
  
In response to number two..Kagome never said that the others werent dead, and I never said that she didn't know..I dont know where you got that from..  
  
In response to number 3...I never called him a frog, I called him a frog-thing..meaning, I dont know WHAT he is, but he looks like a frog..why did rin say that frog legs yummy? well, maybe shes just a stupid little girl who didn't know what Jaken was either so she just assumed he was a frog like thing...ok  
***  
  
anyway...I just thought I would clear that up..  
  
moving on..  
  
My favorite reviewers are currently Kaylana and Bubbles...*sends them both their very own imaginary nasty blood soaked babboon pelt*...yeah I knew you would love it..its a collectibe you know..that the real imaginary blood on it too! Dont you too feel special?...here have a few imaginary kimonos too *sends them both imaginary Kimonos* ..kimonos are so pretty, I wish people still wore them..and in the U.S....you know what? Im feeeling generous, have a few imaginary life size replicas of Kagomes school uniform...now you can go to an imaginary school and feel like you realy got gyped in the uniform department...or you may just feel like a slut..or may feel very angry at the pervert who designed your uniform...I think it was the princible at Kagomes school...here have some imaginary base ball bats and beat him up for being such a pervert *sends them both imaginary baseball bats and imaginary life size replicas of Kagomes school uniform..*  
  
right....anyway...bye for now..  
  
-heather- 


	12. Hey mom! I Killed the Evil Demon Guy!

Chapter ?: Hey Mom, I killed the evil demon guy  
  
  
  
  
*****  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The group soon arrived at the clearing that Sesshoumaru had been at.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku and Sango lay on the grass. Sesshoumaru was no where to be seen.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Um..Inuyasha? Where is your brother?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"half brother, and SESSHY is probably hiding some where because he dousn't want to have to admit he did something nice for once, might ruin his reputation of being completely evil.I can smell him..hes around here somewhere....who cares, Miroku and Sango are alive..lets just go." Inuyasha said...making sure to say the name Sesshy extra loud so that it stood out among the rest of the words.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
***  
In a tree, not so far away, an embarressed Seshoumaru winced at the name Rin used coming from Inuyasha's mouth..'Oh, damn it to hell..", he muttered.  
***  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What about Rin?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I think Seshy wants me to stay here and wait on him to come back!" explained Rin, happy to explain something.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well..alright...are you sure their alive Inuyasha?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh, the death smell is gone , and I can hear them breathing..my guess is their probably alive." smirked Inuyasha.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Ok, then, lets go to the well.", Kagome said as she picked up Sango. She could just barely hear her raspy breathing, but warmth had came back to her body and color had been restored to her skin. She was alive, although how long that would last...  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha grumbled and picked up Miroku.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Are you sure that they'll be able to go through the well?", he asked tentively.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well...theres only one way to find out..", said Kagome as she turned to leave the forest.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Bye Rin...have fun with Sesshy...", she whispered before leaving.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yeah...BYE SHESSHY!!!", yelled Inuyasha, snickering..as he left with Kagome.  
  
  
  
  
  
Kirara jumped from Rins arms and followed the two.  
  
  
  
  
  
Somewhere in the distance, loud banging noises were heard, as Seshoumaru banged his head relentlously against the tree he was, mixed in with the occasional outburst of "DAMN HIM!!, DAMN HIM TO HELL!!"  
  
  
  
  
**************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Do you hear something Inuyasha?" asked Kagome after they were a few miles away from the clearing, and she thought she heard a banging noise.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha snickered.."I think Sesshy may have heard me.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome smiled and giggled.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Lets ride Kirara the rest of the way." she suggested.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha nodded and Kirara transformed. Kagome put Sango up on the cats back, and Inuyasha did the same with Miroku. Kagome hopped aboard as well and held on to Sango, as well as the cat demon, so as to keep them both on. Inuyasha got on and grabbed hold of the leches bloody robes and the cat demon, for the same reasons Kagome had done the same with Sango.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Lets go to the well , Kirara."  
  
  
  
  
  
And off they went.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
******************************  
  
  
  
  
  
It was nightfall by the time they reached the well. The cat demon came to a halt.  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome got off the cat demon and picked up Sango. Inuyasha lept off and slung the monk over his shoulder.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kirara transformed back into a little kittie.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I'm sorry Kirara, but I don't think you should go with us...go find Shippo and stay with him and Kaede untill we get back. Make sure Shippo knows we are alright.."..Kagome commanded Kirara.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kirara seemed to nod and then turned and bounded into the forest.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Lets go Kagome." Inuyasha commanded as he stepped onto the side of the well.  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome joined him on the rim and looked down into the well. She then glanced at Sango in her arms.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well..I hope this works.." She said as she jumped through the well.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Seeing her jump, Inuyasha quickly did the same.  
  
  
  
  
********  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome landed at the bottom of the well. Sango was still in her arms. She looked up out of the well, hoping to that she wouldn't see the sky. And she didn't see the sky..she didn't see the ceiling of the shrine house either...in fact..she saw a big red-  
  
  
  
  
"OOMPH" came her muffled voice as a certain hanyou landed on top of her..not to mention a certain lecher. Had it been any other situation, she would have slapped them both.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Get off me!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha stood and lifted Miroku off of Sango and Kagome.  
  
  
  
  
  
"oops.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Did it work?" Kagome asked, seeming to have forgotten what had previously happened.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha glanced up and saw the wooden boards of the well house ceiling.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yep."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Thank goodness, get Miroku out of the well and then come back and get Sango, I may be able to carry her, but not out of the well."  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha did just that and then came back for Kagome. He picked her up before she could refuse and jumped out of the well.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Thanks.", whispered Kagome as she picked up Sango and carried her to the house. Inuyasha once again slung Miroku over his shoulder.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome went up to the door and knocked. Her mother answered the door smiling.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh honey! You look so pretty in that Kimono! Come in, Come in!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha and Kagome stepped into the house. Mrs.Higurashi seemed to just notice the two people Inuyasha and Kagome were carrying. She looked at them and frowned in confusion. Kagome took a deep breath as she prepared herself for what she was about to say.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"OH Hey mom! We finaly defeated that big enemy demon and completed the Shikon No Tama...yeah..I chopped off his head..anyway..his evil underlings unfortunately happened to kill my two best fiends from fuedal japan, the two people me and Inuyasha are carrying, but then Sheshoumaru, Inuyashas evil mean older half brother, who, once stuck his hand all the way through Inuyashas stomache, bought them back to life with his sword that can bring back people from the dead..of course..Sesshoumaru is kinda wierd..he wears make up and has this big giant puff thing..I wander where he got the make up *at this point, Kagome recieves a pointed glare from Inuyasah*- Oh right, anyway...so he brought them back..but their injuries are bad..Sango got stabbed repeatedly by her little brother, who was possessed by our enemy demon guy.....and Miroku got stabbed a lot while sacrificing himself to save Sango...of course that didn't work out too well..but anyway..we brought them here..I thought we could take them too the hospital...but..you should probaby warn the nurses about Miroku, the boy on Inuyasha, he tends to be a pretty big pervert..and keep any modern appliances pretty far from Sango, shes a demon exterminator and she might think its a demon...welll...hmm..thats about it.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Ok sweetie, let me go get the car keys...but do you mind if I ask something first?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Go ahead."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What happened to your back pack, that was a very expensive back pack you know.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha face faulted and Kagome only sighed passively, she knew what her mother was like.  
  
  
  
  
  
"After all the gory battling that we took part in, against DEMONS, it was so soaked in blood that I decided I didn't realy want it anymore."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Mrs.Higurashi looked troubled for a minute, but then her face went back to her characteristic smile.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Why don't you clean up your friends there and give Sango a pair of your clothes to wear, the doctors might ask questions if you bring them in like that...". Mrs. Higurashi suggested eyeing Sango and her demon exterminator outfit.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Your probably right...demon exterminator outfits probably wouldn't go over to well in modern day Japan..but as for Miroku...we don't have any clothes for him.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well..alright, sweety, I guess a boy wearing a monks attire isn't too suspicous.." she said as she turned and left the room, no doubt looking for her car keys.  
  
  
  
  
  
With her mother gone, Kagome turned to Inuyasha expectantly.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"NO WAY! I am not cleaning the lech!'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Would you rather *I* do it then?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha "feh'ed" and headed for the bathroom, mumbling something along the lines of "Stupid lech, perverted monk, getting youself killed, now I gotta wash you, damn it, bakka pervert.."..  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome brought Sango up to her room. She layed her on her bed as she went to her closet to look for Sango something to wear. She pulled out one of her winter uniforms, a navy blue sweater, and a turquois skirt. Kagome realized that she could change into some of her clothes now, instead of the kimono, but she left it on, she liked it on, it felt right.  
  
  
  
  
  
She lay the clothes she had picked for Sango beside the unconcous demon exterminator and sat on her bed, she would have to wait on Inuyasha to finish with Miroku before she would be able to clean off Sango.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She heard running water, and assumed that Inuyasha had began the task of giving Miroku a bath. She grimaced, glad it wasn't her who had to do that..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"KA- GO- MAY!", Inuyasha yelled for her, pronouncing her name as he always did when yelling for her..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome stood up off the bed to go find out what Inuyasha wanted. She approached the hallway to the bathroom..Then she stopped. 'OH GOD, what if he didn't shut the door?' She thought, horrified at the though of walking in on a naked Miroku. She wanted to go back to her room and wait patiently for Inuyasha to finish with Miroku..However..she knew if she did that, Inuyasha would only yell again, waking up her sleeping brother and grandfather. She winced inwardly at the idea of her grandfather and his scroles...  
  
  
  
  
  
"Coming.." she called hesitantly.  
  
  
  
  
  
Reaching the bathroom, she was relieved to see that the door was shut, and at it, lay a pile of the monks clothes.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Wash his clothes with that magic washer thingy your always talking about." called Inuyasha from the bathroom.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome complied with his demand and put the clothes in the washer with a lot of detergent.  
  
  
  
  
  
Returning to her room, she sat down and waited on Inuyasha to finish.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Occasionaly she heard some curses and such, but it wasn't too bad.  
Soon, she heard the water turn off and her mothers voice coming from near the bathroom.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Here Inuyasha, "her mother said as she lay a robe beside the bathroom door. "that will keep him all warm and toasty untill his clothes are done!"  
  
  
  
  
  
A muttered word came from the bathroom. Mrs.Higurashi didn't know what it was, so just assumed that the dog boy was thanking her. However, even from her room, Kagome recognized the word, "feh"...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
  
  
Soon Inuyasha bounded into the room carrying a wet haired Miroku, who was wrapped up in a fluffy white bath robe. Inuyasha roughly through him on the bed next to Sango.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome went over to her desk and pulled out a first aid kit.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Your not done yet.", she said as she tossed the kit to Inuyasha, "Dress his wounds, and then you have to dress HIM.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I thought we were going to the Hoss-spit-al to do that."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"We are Inuyasha, but, it will be a while before Im done with Sango and Miroku's clothes are dry, besides, they might bleed more now that the dried blood is washed off.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Thanks Inuyasha.", she repied to his feh as she picked up Sango and the pair of clothes and went to the bathroom.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*****  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha opened up the first aid kit. He had seen Kaede dress wounds before. Surely he could figure it out.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He looked at Miroku, and, hesitatly, pulled his robe down so that his back was visable. That was where all the stab wounds were. There were seven, he realized, counting them.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
His ears perked up at the sound of ruining water..'Kagome must be giving her a bath now..' he thought..Picking up a white role of sticky stuff, he wandered what the hell it was.  
Then his eyes traveled to some fuzzy soft stuff. He picked it up. 'hmm..maybe im supposed to put the fuzzy soft stuff on first and then hold it down with the sticky stuff..yeah..that must be it..", he decided. So he set to work with on that.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
After he was finished. He just sat on Kagome's bed..'her room smells like her..' he though, breathing in the scent. He liked the way she smelled..how much longer would he be able to smell that sweet scent? How much longer untill it left him forever..would it leave him forever? What was going to happen..? 'Deal with that later!' a voice in his head commanded him..He tried to put his mind to something else, but it kept coming back to Kagome.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Lucky for him, Kagome's mom came to interupt his thoughts.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hello Inuyasha, I just came bye to give you your little friends clothes, their fresh from the dryer!, Oh you did such a good job with dressing his wounds! You could be a doctor! Oh, I better go find my car keys.."  
  
  
  
  
  
And then she left the room, having tossed Miroku's clothes to Inuyasha.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'Strange woman...', he thought, as he bagan the task of getting the lech dressed.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*********  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome had finaly finished bathing Sango. Dragging her unconcous body out of the tub, she proceded to attempt to dry her off, which was pretty difficult, considering she had to hold her up as well. After she had finished, she lay Sango down on a bath mat and went over to the medine cabinet and got out the first aid kit.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango had been stabbed four times, she noticed. After dressing the wounds, she dressed Sango in the clothes she had chosen. The looked funny on the demon exterminator.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome giggled and left Sango once again to find a brush. Having found one, she brushed Sango's long wet hair and put it up in it's usual poney tail.  
  
  
  
  
  
Looking at Sango, Kagome realized something was missing from her new look..Then she had it, knee socks and shoes! Picking up Sango she ran back to her room.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
****  
  
  
  
  
  
"EEP!", she screamed as she walked in on the half dressed Miroku.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha looked at her confused. After all, the monk had on everything but his outer robe.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Umm..Kagome..all thats showing is his chest..you've seen ME without my shirt on.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome blushed..she had only saw the top half of Miroku, and had only assumed that the bottom half would be naked as well. Relief flooded her face as she realized she had asssumed wrong.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sorry..I..just.thought..well..never mind..hurry up and finish.", Kagome mumbled, and went over to her dresser and pulled out a pair of kneesocks and shoes. Slipping them onto Sango's feet, she grinned at Inuyasha.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What do you think of my master peice.?'  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh..", responded Inuyasha, but he couldn't help but smirk at the demon exterminators new attire.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"you know she's going to kill you when she sees what you put on her, dont you?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"theres always tensaiga..", she smirked sarcasticaly.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha finaly finished dressing the lecherous monk, his robes were covered in blood stains..but at least the blood was no longer there.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Then Kagome remembered something.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"OH GOD! SHE REALY IS GOING TO KILL ME!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Why?" asked Inuyasha, concerned.  
  
  
  
  
  
"I forgot her boomerang.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh, we can find it, I left the leches staff too.. don't worry about it.."  
  
  
  
  
  
"okay.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Just then, their conversation was interupted by Kagome's mother...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"HONEY!! I FOUND THE CAR KEYS!"  
  
  
  
  
*******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************  
  
  
Theres another chapter..yeah..well..anyways..  
  
favorite reviewer is Kaylana..and Bubbles..*sends them each their own imaginary bloody Miroku clothes*  
  
  
  
anyway..yeah..  
  
  
oh and by the way..I made some fan art for this chapter...If you want to see it, email me..desespoir_despair@yahoo.com 


	13. Faulty Wind Tunnels and Screaming Sangos

Chapter?: Faulty Wind Tunnels and Screaming Sangos  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*********************  
  
  
  
They had arrived at the hospital, stopping only to buy a hat for Inuyasha, and had had Sango and Miroku admitted successfully, with not too many questions.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome had made up a quick lie, after all, telling her mother what had happened, and telling the hospital staff what had happened, were very different in deed, her mother would just smile and nod her head, while, the hospital, well, they might admit her to a slightly different kind of hospital if she told them the truth.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
So, she had made up some semi-believable story off the top of her head. Her friends and her were on a hike, deep in the middle of the forest, her friends that were visiting from America (to explain their lack of ID), and out of nowhere came this guy with a dagger and he started beating up her friends, of course, Inuyasha and herself had had the good sense to run, but, apperently her friends from America, were quiet the idiots. Anyway, the reason it had took so long for them to go to the hospital, was of course, because Inuyasha and herself had to carry their body's all the way out of the forest and back home.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
And that was what she had told them..they seemed to believe it, although they did eye her suspiciously when Inuyasha interupted her little story with:  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh, a weak human would not be any threat to me.."  
  
  
  
  
  
Oh course, eyeing her suspicously was all they could do..they just accepted the fact that one of the young girls friends was a little deluded, and had admitted Miroku and Sango to the Emergency room.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
And now, Inuyasha, Kagome, and Mrs.Higurashi set in the waiting room. Inuyasha fidgeted, bored out of his mind. He hated waiting.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"STOP FIDGETING", yelled Kagome, causing a few curious stares from the other people in the room.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh.."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Now now, don't fight, here, why don't you each have a stick of gum?", Mrs.Higurashi suggested as she rummaged around in her purse. She found what she was looking for and handed a stick to Inuyasha and Kagome. Then she went back to reading one of the waiting room magazines, an issue of HIGHLIGHTS FOR KIDS ****AN:which I don't own...thank god**  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha looked at it confused.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"here," Kagome said, as she unwrapped the gum and handed it back to Inuyasha, "chew it."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha complied and put the peice of gum in his mouth.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Chew!" Kagome reminded.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He began to chew the gum, a puzzled look crossed his face.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"this stuff is good Kagome!", he said, as he got the hang of chewing it.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"better than Ramen?"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha looked indecisive..he wasn't sure about that..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh...", he replied, unable to decide..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*******************************Some odd hours later***************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'Where am I?', Miroku thought as he opened his eyes. He was in a white room. Then he realized something had a hold of him, several tubes had a hold of them, a sharp metal object was inserted into his hand, and connected to another tube. He followed the tubes to the demon they originated from.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Unwrapping his cursed hand, carefuly, as their was that sharp metal object in his not so cursed hand, he aimed his hand at the the offending demon. "WIND TUNNEL" he shouted, his hand now completely unwrapped.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
And, nothing happened.  
  
  
  
  
  
"What the hell?", he said aloud, looking at his air void-less hand, wow, he had never been able to look at this hands palm before...that must mean..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
And then his mind was flooded with memories of the fight. Of saving Sango..and then of the blackness...  
  
  
  
  
  
Where was Sango? Was she alright? For that matter, where the hell was he?  
  
  
  
  
  
Taking in his surroundings, he began to asess the situation, he was in a white room, lieing on a bed, tubes were hooked up to him, which, in turn were hooked up to what he had at first thought to be a demon. Then he noticed that this 'demon', seemed to be made out of the thing Kagome called 'plasss-tick'. There wasn't 'plasss-tick' in his time, so, that meant he had to be in Kagome's time. Which meant that Kagome was alive...and if Kagome was alive, and his air rip was gone..that would mean that they had defeated Naruko.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
So, if Naruko was defeated, and he was in Kagome's time, and he was hooked up to something 'plasss-tick'..then that would mean that he was in a ....well he still didn't know where the hell he was.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
'I hope Sango is alive...wait, if I'm alive, and I am almost sure that I died, then that must mean that Inuyasha used tensaiga on me, so, even if Sango had died, then they would have used tensaiga on her too..so..if tensaiga was used..then Inuyasha had to be alive too..so that meant that everyone was ok..'  
  
  
  
  
  
'Now, to figure out where I am..'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Lucky for him, he didn't have too...there was a knock at the door, and then an anxious Kagome, and an impatient looking Inuyasha, burst into his room.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
Kagome had been sitting in the horribly uncomfortable chair for what seemed like hours. Sitting there, listening to Inuyasha smack his gum..How long had he had the gum now? Two, three, four hours? 'Ugh...how much longer till we get some news..'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Her questiong was almost immediatly answered as a yell was heard through out the hospital.  
  
  
  
  
  
"WIND TUNNEL"  
  
  
  
  
  
The hospital staff, the people in the waiting room, everyone present, jerked their heads up and looked around...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sweetie! I think one of your friends is awake!", smiled Mrs. Higurashi.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
As if to add to the growing oddness of the situation, well , at least, it was odd for the people who had just heard someone scream 'wind tunnel', and hadn't the slightest notion as to what that was, the stange boy with the hat and long white hair picked up the teenaged girl wearing the kimono and ran off towards the voice.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The witnesses looked expectantly at Mrs.Higurashi. She smiled at them and then went back to her magazine.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha!, were going to get in trouble, you can't just run down the hospital hall, now put me down, people are staring."  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha ignored her and continued to Miroku's room, following his scent. Soon, they arrived at the door. Inuyasha finaly put her down.  
Kagome glared at him and knocked on the door.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Why are you knocking, wench?", he asked as he burst into the room.  
  
  
  
  
  
************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hello Pervert." smirked Inuyasha at the very confused monk.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hey Miroku.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hi Lady Kagome,...Inuyasha..would you mind explaining to me where I am?", questioned Miroku, feigning a calm voice.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Your in a hoss-spit-al." said Inuyasha, saying it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku thought hard..he had heard that word before..from Kagome. Wasn't that where they took sick people in her time? Ah, yes, that would make sense.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"So, did we defeat Naruko..?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well, your wind tunnel didn't suck up a nurse or anything did it?" asked Inuyasha sarcasticaly, he hesitated, and then his tone grew serious, if not a little begrudging.."Actualy, WE, didn't defeat Naruko..neither did I..Kagome did it.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome gasped audibly, surprised he would actualy admit that to people , she would have been fine if he hadn't...but, It made her happy that he told Miroku.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kagome?!", asked Miroku in disbelief.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome took a deep breath, readying herself for another speech similar to the one she gave her mom. However, before she could do that...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH", sounded a shrill scream, that echoed through the halls, and didn't stop.  
  
  
  
  
  
"And that would be Sango..", Smirked Inuyasha, covering his ears and running from the room, grabbing Kagome on the way.  
  
  
  
  
Miroku just lay there, dumbfounded, and then he too covered his ears..'that girl sure can scream'.  
  
  
  
  
**************************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango awoke with a start and sat up in the bed. She opened her eyes, a demon had attached itself to her..She reached for her boomerang, only to find that it was missing. Not being able to   
find her boomerang, she in turn grabbed for her Katana..to find that it too was gone..and something else was wrong too. That didn't feel like her demon exterminator outfit..She jumped out of bed. Toppling the IV machine over and upsetting the other machines she was hooked up to. Sharp pains erupted in her chest and abdomen upon doing this. But that didn't stop her from looking down at herself..What was she wearing?! Oh KAMI SAMA! NOOO!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" she screamed, as she realized she had on one of Kagome's school uniforms, and, unlike Miroku, she did not stop and asess the situation, she just continued to scream. That was much easier.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
***************************************************  
  
  
  
  
In the waiting room, Mrs. Higurashi once again smiled at the gawking people.."Sango's awake!" she explained and then went back to her magazine.  
  
  
  
  
***************************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha and Kagome both burst into Sango's room, eager to shut the girl up, before a nurse came and assumed she was crazy.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha ran up beside the unsuspecting girl and through her back on the bed, clamping his hand over her mouth as he did that.   
  
  
  
  
  
"SHUT UP!", he demanded, if this was hurting Kagome's weak human ears, imagine what it was doing to his superior demon ears.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome slowly brought her hands away from her ears. Inuyasha backed away from Sango.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"WHY AM I WEARING THIS!", the now not so screaming Sango demanded.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"They were bloody and torn, bakka, you should be greatful Kagome lent you a pair of her clothes, unless, of course, you wanted the lech to get an eyeful.  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango blushed..and, for the first time, noticed her surroundings. Where was she?  
  
  
  
  
  
"Where am I?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Your in a hospital, its where we take sick people in my time, you were so badly injured that you died, and Seshoumaru brought you back with tensaiga, but your wounds were so bad that you still needed medical attention, better medical attention that Fuedal Japan has to offer, so, we brought you here.", Kagome explained, doing a much better job than Inuyasha had with Miroku.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh...Did we defeat Naruko?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kagome did.." Inuyasha answered...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kagome!?", questioned Sango just as Miroku had.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The girl in question sighed...why was it so unbelievable that she had defeated the evil demon that Inuyasha had strived over and over to kill? 'oh yeah..because it was the evil demon that Inuyasha had strived over and over to kill..' she answered herself.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes..I killed him..but I don't want to have to explain this twice..I'll be back soon Sango, come on Inuyasha, were going to go find a nurse and see what we can do about getting them a room to share instead of two seperate ones..and then Ill explain it to both of you, at the same time."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Where were the nurses anyway? Both her friends had just screamed loud enough to bring back Kikyou and there were still no nurses..  
  
  
  
  
  
'Lousy hospital staff...', grumbled Kagome as she turned and left the room. Inuyasha set Sango's IV back up, and followed Kagome.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango watched them go...just as confused as Miroku.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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Favorite Reviewers:Bubbles,Kaylana, and lyndz...*sends them each an imaginary spare set of Inuysha's outfit*....hope you enjoy it thoroughly..anyway..yeah...next chapter will be out late late late late tonight (sunday), and remember people, flattery can get you anywhere..and i for one, thoroughly enjoy it.....okey bye now.. 


	14. Explaining Things

Chapter?: Explaining things..  
  
  
  
  
  
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It had taken a lot of whining, begging, and bribing, but, eventualy, Kagome got a nurse to let Sango share a room with Miroku. She had also gotten some information on their health.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
They weren't bad off, not near as bad as Inuyasha had made it out to be, although, in Inuyasha's time, they probably would have died. But, with the miracals of modern medicine, she was told that they would be released in only a week. Neither was in critical condition, and, given the fact that Sango had jumped up out of bed, and Miroku had attempted to "WIND TUNNEL" an IV machine, they were healing rather quickly. Kagome figured it was probably another side affect of Tensaiga, healing quickly. A rather convenient side affect at that.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
But now, with Sango in the process of being moved into Miroku's room, came the hard part. Explaining.  
  
  
  
  
****************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome and Inuyasha followed the nurse as she wheeled Sango down the hall towards Miroku's room.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha appeared to be sulking..he wasn't having a good time, and Kagome wouldn't let him say anything, she had even threatened to "sit" him when he had reached for his sword after the nurse had at first refused to let Miroku and Sango share a room. So now, he walked beside Kagome, arms folded across his chest, with a scowl on his face.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome looked stressed. She had a lot on her mind, between her injured friends from Fuedal Japan and what she had planned to do about her whole Inuyasha/Shikon No Tama predicament, not to mention trying to look normal, and Inuyasha surely wasn't helping with that, growling at every passerby, as he was.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango lay on the soft bed, anxious to get to her new room...and see Miroku.... She wished they made beds like that in the past. It was so comfortable. Maybe she could get one from Kagome's time and bring it back to her own...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
After a few minutes if very uncomfortable silence between the nurse and the strange group of teenagers, they arrived at Miroku's room. The nurse pushed Sango over to the opposite side of the room as Miroku, plugged in a few IVs, and queitly left the room.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku gave Sango a big goofy grin. One that might be described as, lecherous..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango blushed.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Houshi sama...thanks for saving me.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku continued to smile big and goofily.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I hope they didn't give him and morphine..", muttered Kagome, afraid of what the pervert might do drugged up.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha was the only one to catch this sentence, with his superior hearing and all..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What is mooor-feen ?", he asked.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Nothing Inuyasha...it dousn't matter, just some magic thing from this time, Miroku, why are you smiling like that?!", she demanded, the smile was realy making her uncomfortable.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"My air rip is gone!", he said, still smiling.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"And?!", demanded an impatient Inuyasha.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well..with my air rip gone..and Naraku defeated..", his voice trailed off and something suddenly registered in Sango's mind, causing her to blush even redder than before.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Bits and peices of that conversation they had had only a few weeks before flooded through her mind..she remembered his words..' to me your a very special girl..' ... 'However...   
that is precisely why, I can't love you as a girl..'..and then her heart broken response, .'oh, its not like I thought that you did love me..this is enough of this conversation, im going'..and then his voice again..as he said THOSE words..' This conversation isn't over yet. If, when the battle with Naraku is over... the curse of my Air Rip is broken, and I'm alive... at that time, would you live with me and bear my child?'...and then her almost giddy and shocked answery..'I..I will.."...'You'll bear them? 10? or even 20?"..'Yes.."..and then some time had passed before she finaly got the courage to ask her next question..'so then, you wont cheat on me anymore, right?'..He had never answered her, but, he also hadn't cheated on her...  
  
  
*This happened in Manga chapter 292.*  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh Kami Sama..."..was all Sango could muster to say..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha still didn't understand, it had clicked with Kagome as soon as Sango muttered the words "Oh Kami Sama"...Miroku just continued to grin like an idiot.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome could sense her friend's discomfort, as well as Inuyasha's confusion. She felt compulsed to help them both out.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Do you want to know what happened with Naraku after you too died?" interupted Kagome.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"YES!", Sango practicaly screamed, very eager to change the subject..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome smiled...Inuyasha looked at her expectantly, eager to get this over with, and Miroku, well, he just continued to grin, although, his grin now did look a little curious.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She took a deep breath.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Ok, after Miroku died, saving Sango, Sango then went on to avenge his death, killing Kohaku, who, in turn, also killed her, I killed Kanna with an arrow, shortly after, Kagura came and grabbed me, she taunted Inuyasha, causing him to look in her direction, giving Naruko time to knock him out, Naraku then readied himself to kill Inuyasha, holding him above his head, I  
threw Kagura off of me and "S" worded Inuyasha, causing him to fall on Naruko and knock him out, then I stabbed Naraku with a sacred arrow, and, just to make sure he was dead, I chopped off his head with the un-transformed tetsaiga, After Inuyasha awoke and we got all the jewel shards from Naraku's body, and Kagura gave us hers, I asked Inuyasha to bring you two back with tensaiga, however, the bakka realized that he didn't know how to use tensaiga, so we had Seshy do it. Then, as your injuries were to severe to be taken care of in Fuedal Japan, we brought you here, to this modern day hospital, which you should be released from in a few days"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome breathed in deeply to catch her breath. She looked at her friends for their reaction. Both had a look of confusion on their faces..And then they both sweatdropped.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Seshy?" They both questioned..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha smirked...he would never refer to his half brother as anything BUT Sesshy from now on..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh..that..I meant Seshoumaru...Rin just calls him Sesshy..and well.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku and Sango looked at each other and then burst out laughing..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sesshy?!, Mr. Im a mean evil sinister demon...lets Rin call him Sesshy?" asked Sango, in between bursts of laughter.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku continued to laugh, although the laughing was begining to feel painful because of the stab wounds. Realizing he needed to stop, or else he would be in here a lot longer that a few days, he tried to cut back his laughter and ask a question.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"When did you spend time with Rin?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh," muttered Inuyasha. As he went over and set in a chair, he knew what was soon to come.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Its a realy long story...", Kagome sighed, as she took a seat beside Inuyasha, she knew her little summary wouldn't be enough for them. So, with another sigh, she decided to tell them the whole story..It was going to be a very long night...'shouldn't a nurse come in and say that visiting hours are over? Or that our friends need their rest?'...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Lousy hospital..", she muttered for the second time that day...and proceeded to, in great detail, tell Sango and Miroku the whole story.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*************************************************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Five hundred years in the past, Seshoumaru halted in his steps, causing Rin to run into him.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Why did Seshoumaru-sama stop?" she asked.  
  
  
  
  
  
Seshoumaru said nothing, only went over to a near bye tree and banged his head against it, realizing, for the first time, that Inuyasha was probably going to tell the houshi and the demon exterminator his little nick name..  
  
  
  
  
  
" Oh! Rin dousn't want Seshoumaru-sama to mess up his pretty hair! Stop Seshoumaru-sama!" cried the confused little girl.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Seshoumaru banged his head against the tree one last time for good measure, and then went back to walking in front of Rin, acting as if nothing had happened.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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Another chapter....hardly any reviews for the last 2*whines*....and i found out ive been spelling Naraku wrong...oops..oh well...i hope people are intelligent enough to know that when I wrote Naroku, I meant, Naraku....ok..  
  
Favorite reviewers..:kaylana, lyndz, and Bubbles..*sends them all and imaginary Mrs.Higurashi*  
  
  
okie....REVIEW! 


	15. And, as they say, the Shit Hits the Fan

Chapter?: And, as they say, The shit hits the fan  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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"...and, here we are.", finished Kagome. She had started the story almost two hours ago. It would have gone much quicker   
if she hadn't been constantly interupted by questions. However, she had put a stop to the questions after Miroku had asked, "so, exactly how did my robes look as I flew through the air after Sango threw me off herself, did they look graceful and tragic, was it as if things were happening very slowly?". That had been it, she couldn't take his interupting her with such minimal things as that. She had ordered them to wait untill she was finished to ask ANY more questions.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
So now, with her more detailed version done, she awaited the questions that were soon to come.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"you made Miroku and I hold hands after we were dead!?", blushed a very embarrassed Sango. Miroku grinned that big goofy grin of his.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'oops..I probably should have left that part out'..thought Kagome.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"yes, yes I did, does it matter? You were both dead, I realy didn't think you would mind in that state." she shot back, tired and agitated.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha sat back in his chair, he hadn't said one word, for a whole two hours he had just sat still, amused as he watched Sango and the monks reaction's as Kagome related her story. It had been fun watching Kagome get aggravated, usualy she was patient and caring with her friends, but, it appeared as though she was a tad bit on edge at the time. He could understand why.She hadn't had hardly any sleep in two days, and what sleep she did have was on the blood covered ground after killing Narako. She had, no doubt, been under a lot of stress, and..some of that stress probably had a lot to do with him. He found   
that Kagome was almost acting like him now, talking to her friends as she was.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango looked slightly surprised. Kagome was acting angry, and, she knew she had better leave her alone about the whole 'holding hands' thing, it wasn't realy that important..'after all..now that Naruko's dead, and houshi samas air rip is gone, were kind of-', she stopped that thought before it could go any farther..'nevermind that, I'll just deal with whats at hand'..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku felt the need to ask another question. There was one part of the story he still couldn't believe.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"You decapitated him Kagome, after he was already dead?..You just hacked away?", he asked. Inuyasha smirked, Sango looked at Kagome expectantly, she had meant to ask the same thing.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome let out a sigh, "I HAD TO MAKE SURE HE WAS DEAD!", she practicaly screamed for what seemed like the millionth time taht day. Why did everyone keep asking her that! I was realy starting to annoy her.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"YES I KILLED NARAKU, I HACKED OFF HIS HEAD! HE'S DEAD, HE'S GONE, IT'S OVER NOW. THE SHIKON NO TAMA IS COMPLETE! I KILLED HIM!", with that said, she turned and walked out the door.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha knew better than to go after her. He knew that she needed some time to think. Probably a lot of time to think. He needed time to think too. He would stay here and make sure the lech didn't try anything he shouldn't, and that no one tried to hurt his..companions.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango began to understand what Kagome must be going through. She had understood the hidden meaning under her last out burst. The Shickon No Tama was finished. Narako was dead. There was no longer a need for a Shickon Shard detector, Kagome's original cause for staying here was complete. But Sango also knew that Kagome had become a lot more than just a shard detector. She was like a sister to her. Kagome loved Inuyasha, everyone knew that, and Inuyasha loved her too, although, he also loved Kikyou. Sango knew that too..and she couldn't help but wander if he still was going to go to hell with her. They had formed a  
rather disfunctional family, all of them, Kagome, Inuyasha, Shippoe, Miroku, Kirara, and herself. And now, with the quest over, what was going to happen to it. Miroku and herself..well..that had been decided, although she wasn't ready to deal with that just yet. Shippo would no doubt hang around. But, Kagome and Inuyasha were not spoken for, would they both leave? One to go back to another time, the other to go to hell? What would happen after they were out of the hospital? That was after all, when the decision would have to be made. What would happen to their family?  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku had slightly expected that. He knew what must be going through her mind. He was all to aware of the predicament at hand. But, he chose to, uncharacteristcaly, ignore it, just let things run their course and take everything as it comes.  
He didn't want to think about what would become of their little family if it lost two of its members, he didn't want to think   
about the turmiol that would cause. Shippo would no doubt be completely devasted, losing another mother, after he had only just began to adjust to life without his old one, the hyper little boy might even miss Inuyasha, they were like brothers in a way. Sango would be losing a sister and a friend. He himself would be losing two of the few people he had ever trusted in his life, he would be losing two dear friends. Sure, he would still have Sango, and Shippo, Kirara too, and eventualy they would adapt to life without the other two...but..he didn't want that..he didn't want things to change.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh, I guess I'll stay here, Im sure theres a good tree around here somewhere...", Inuyasha said meekly, as he glanced out the window, breaking everyone out of their thoughts.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes, you probably should stay and let Kagome have some time to herself.", aggreed the monk.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha turned and glared at him, only to see the lech with a sad and somewhat distant look on his face, as if he were thinking of something very depressing. Inuyasha bit his tongue, he didn't feel like making any rude comments now. He just wanted to go and think.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"How the hell do I get this thing open!", he growled instead.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango looked over at him, and saw what he was having trouble with. A plate of glass that allowed you to see the outside.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"How do you know it opens?", she asked.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh, Kagome has one in her room, except IT, isn't this confusing.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh..", was all Sango said, as she lay down deep into her bed and shut her eyes.She wanted to sleep, so she couldn't think about her problems.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh..", Inuyasha grumbled, as he went and picked up his chair and hurled it through the window, breaking the glass.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I opened it..", he muttered, as he climbed through and jumped to the ground below, and went to find a tree to sit in.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Back in the hospital room, Miroku stared at where Inuyasha had been, and then at the broken glass on the floor. The shattering noise had brought him out of his thoughts. He looked at Sango and saw that she had fallen asleep. At the time, sleeping sounded like a good idea. So, he too layed down his head and closed his eyes. Soon, he too was asleep.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*****************************************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome had made it back to the waiting room. It was a considerably long walk without being carried by a demon. She felt slightly embarresed for making such a scene, she hoped they understood. Spotting her mother, still reading a magazine, she walked over to her.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Mom, lets go home."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"But what about your other friend?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"He wanted to stay here..", she lied, but she knew Inuyasha would be alright, there were plenty of trees around here after all.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Ok sweety."  
  
  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
  
  
  
And soon they were home. Kagome ran up to her room before her mother could begin talking to her about stupid things. She had to think.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She lay down in her bed, she was tired, but there was no way she could go to sleep.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She knew what she was going to do about Inuyasha and the Shickon No Tama. She had a plan and there was definately no way she was backing out of it. Their were two parts too her plan. Of course, only Part one might be needed, it all depended on Inuyasha.  
  
  
But, if part two was needed, and she hoped beyond hope that it was, she would go through with it, no matter what it sacrificed for her. She was going to go through with it. It was worth it. Just to be with him. Besides, part two probably wouldn't be that bad..hell, it might even be fun.  
  
  
  
Of course, if part two was needed, remained to be known, she knew Inuyasha loved her, but, was that enough?  
  
  
  
  
  
*******************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha sat high above the ground in a tree. He was thinking.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Whats going to happen? He had always let thing run their course, never planned ahead. He thought back to the begining. Why had they even started to collect the jewels in the first place? So he could be full youkie? And then what had it been? Kill Naraku to avenge Kikyou, and then go to hell with her? So, now what was it. What did he want. He loved Kagome. He deserved to go to hell for what happened to Kikyou. What was he going to do now? Go to hell with Kikyou...or..or what?  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He loved Kagome, and she loved him, he knew that. But, there was the difference in times. But most importantly, there was the difference in species. Kagome was human, he wasn't. She would age and he would stay basicaly the same. She would die, he might as well be imortal. He could be with Kagome, for,probably a good sixty or seventy years, maybe a little more, but what then. Then he would be left with nothing, Sango and Miroku would be dead by then. He would be left with nothing..but..nothing but SHIPPO! He was horror struck at that realization. Kagome, Sango, and Miroku would all die, and then, he would be left with nothing but the annoying little brat. Shippo would never leave him either, he would attach himself to what ever was left of their little family. There was Kirara too..The idea of living the rest of eternity with Kirara and Shippo was rather frightening. He could deal with Shippo as long as Kagome was there, he was like a realy annoying little brother..but without Kagome..without Kagome he would be nothing.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
So what was there for him? Those were his choices!? Go to hell for one of the women he loved, or stay and be happy for about seventy years with the other women he loved, and then, be without either of them. At least with Kikyou, he wouldn't lose her,  
if they were in hell together, there wasn't many places for her to go...but, he loved Kagome too..so much..he hated being without her..he didn't know what he wanted..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*********************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
And, a week passed like that, Kagome didn't come to visit her injured friends or Inuyasha, she stayed at home. She didn't even go to school. She just stayed in her room, thinking.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha stayed in Sango and Miroku's room during the day, and in a tree at night. He ate the hospital food that was left over from what Miroku and Sango didn't eat. Little conversation was had. Miroku and Sango slept most of the time anyway, from all the medication they were on. He would just sit in their room, and contemplate, hiding whenever a nurse came in.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The hospital staff was perplexed, a window had been mysteriously broken and replaced three times now. No one knew who was doing it, the two occupants of the room were far to weak to do it.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*****************Almost 5 hundred years in the past*******  
  
  
  
Seshoumaru and Rin walked upon the battle scene. He had wanted to go here and see what had realy happened.All the rumors were starting to make him curious, so he had to find out the true story.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Even with the blood now soaked into the ground, it was still rather gory, and he regretted taking the little girl with him.  
The smell of rotting corpses was present. And it stank. It even irritated the little girls human nose.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The corpses of Naraku's underlings were already begining to rot after a week in the sun.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Rin wants to know What happened to the man's head, Seshoumaru Sama.", asked the little girl.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Seshoumaru looked to where Rin was pointing. He was shocked at what he saw, though his expressionless face still didn't change. Naraku's head was not attached to his body.  
'That would mean part of the rumors were true' he thought. Naraku had infact been decapitated, but surely not by Inuyasha's bitch. That would be impossible. Curiousit got the best of him though.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hes dead Rin, now be quiet and don't move.", he said. Rin froze in her spot and didn't utter a word as Seshoumaru walked over to the foul smelling corpse of Naruko.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Seshoumaru looked at the arrow in the demons chest. He lent over and smelled it. It smelt of Inuyasha's wench..'So.. she did play some part in his death..but surely she didn't decapitate him..'.Still, he couldn't stand not knowing. He picked up the head of Naruku by the filthy and blood matted hair. He brought the head up to his face and stared at the dead eyes, then, he bent his head and sniffed where the nect had been ripped from the rest of the body.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The neck still smelt faintly of Inuyasha's mate. Of course, she could have just grabbed the now dead Naruko's neck..but..that seemed rather unlikely that she would grab his neck and live to tell about it.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
So what did that mean? Had the human killed him? He didn't know, and he had to figure it out, that left him with only one option. One that would degrade him to no end. That would be his last resort. He would not do THAT! His reputation had already been damaged enough with that horrible nickname..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He dropped the head in disgust and walked back to Rin.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Come Rin, you may walk and talk again.", he said, adding the last bit from a previous experience.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
And they left, to go find something out about the battle, without resorting to ...THAT...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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Wow..look, another chapter..another one soon.  
  
  
Favorite reviewers are still Bubbles and Kaylana and Lyndz. *sends them each an imagianary rotting Naruko head, for them to treasure and love forever*  
  
  
  
And yes, I realize I mispell a lot, and yes, I realize that Naraku is mispelled half the time. However, I do not have a spell check, and, well, sorry about spelling Naraku as Naroku..oops..  
  
  
  
  
  
Okie..bye now.. 


	16. Demon Cars and Forest Fires

Chapter?: Demon cars and Forest Fires  
  
  
  
  
*******************************  
  
  
  
Kagome awoke early. Today was the day Miroku and Sango were due out of the hospital. She had avoided everyone untill now..well..she hadn't realy been avoiding them ..she had just needed time to think.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
After getting up, she went to her closet and got out the pink Kimono. She had washed it and hung it up after her first visit to the hospital, with the intent of wearing it again the day they went back to fuedal Japan. And now the day had come.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Getting dressed, she wandered if she would set her plan into action today, it wasn't realy a plan...more like a solution..but...it was a plan in that it was something that she had planned to do.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
After getting dressed, she went downstairs to find her mother cooking breakfast, her grandfather and Souta sat at the table. She sat down with them, no reason why she couldn't eat before she left.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
As she sat waiting for her food, a question popped into her head. A look of puzzlement appeared on her face.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"hey mom?..How are you paying for Miroku and Sango's medical bills..Im sure their very expensive..?", she asked.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Mrs. Higurashi turned and smiled at her daughter  
  
  
  
  
"Oh, don't worry about that sweety!", she replied, in a way that was slightly disturbing.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
And then Mrs.Higurashi turned back to the stove and continued to cook.  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome almost asked her mother what she meant by that, but, decided, she would realy rather not know.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hey sis, when are you going back with Inu-no-oniichan ?", *see AN*, asked Souta.  
  
  
  
Kagome looked at her little brother. Seeing him made her miss Shippo..which made her wander how it would be if she never got to see any of them again..she wouldn't let that happen, even if her plan ended with Inuyasha in hell with Kikyou, she would still visit them.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Were probably going back today..."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"When are you coming back?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"that depends.."..he was begining to agitate her.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Do you need any sacred scrolls or seals?" asked her grandfather.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome in turn just stared at him, as if to say , 'what do you think?'.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Her grandfather made a 'hmph" -like noise and then stared at his empty plate.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Finaly, her mother brought them food.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
After they had all finished, and Souta had returned to his video games and her grandfather was off playing with his sacred scroles and seals, Kagome got up from her place at the table.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"mom?", she started, as she walked over to her mother who was washing dishes.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes honey?.", She said, as she turned to her daughter, and then she noticed something." Oh sweety, your wearing that pretty Kimono again! It looks so lovely on you..".  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"yes..ok..but..can we go get Miroku, Sango, and Inuyasha from the hospital now?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Of course sweety! Let me just go get my car keys!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome sweatdropped.."you DO know where they are this time, right?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Of course!"  
  
******************  
  
  
  
  
Soon they had arrived at the hospital.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hey mom, why don't you go buy me a new backpack while your waiting on me to come out?", Kagome said in a, rather chipper voice, one that made buying backpacks sound like the most enjoyable thing in the world.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"OK!", Mrs.Higurashi responded enthusiasticaly, and took off, barely giving Kagome any time to get out of the car.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Before she could make it inside the hospital door, strong arms took hold of her and picked her up. Any other girl would have been terrified, but not Kagome, she had been picked up like this many times before, she knew who her 'kidnapper', was.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha! What are you doing?! Put me down!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Shut up wench, do you want them to here you?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Who is 'them'?, she asked, agitated.  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha ignored her and jumped high.  
  
  
  
  
  
Before she knew what was going on, Kagome found herself standing in Sango and Miroku's room. Inuyasha rushed over to the door and locked it.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Why did we have to come in this way?.", she asked, then, eyeing the broken window, she added, "You do know that opens, right?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I had to bring you in this way, so a nurse wouldn't follow you in."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"And why is that..hey..where are Sango and Miroku?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Under here..", came a muffled voice from under neath the bed. One that sounded suspicously like Sango.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What are you doing?!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh, this is what your mother told them to do!..shes also the one who told me to bring you in this way."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"My mother?! Whats going on!?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha cleared his throat and mimicked Mrs.Higurashi's voice.."Hey little doggy boy! Could you do me a favor? Well, see, it turns out I don't have any money to pay for your little friend's dock-tooor bills, so, I have a little plan! Make your little friends hide so that the nurses will go look for them, when Kagome comes, take her two your little friends room without anyone seeing her, then you all need to sneak out!".  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome sighed, her mother was such a ditz.  
  
  
  
  
  
"I don't think thats the way my mom pronounces 'doctor'..and I realy don't think she talks like that.."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Miroku, Sango, get out from under the beds.", she ordered.   
  
  
  
  
Slowly, Miroku peaked his head out from under his bed, soon it was followed by the rest of his body, and Sango crawled out from under hers.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Come on, lets go..", ordered Kagome.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Um..Kagome, how are we supposed to get down to the ground without killing ourselves?" asked Sango as she peared down out the window.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha" said Kagome simply.  
  
  
  
  
  
So, Inuyasha brought each of them down, one by one.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Follow me, before we get arrested." commanded Kagome as she lead them to the parking lot.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"My mom isn't here yet, she went to go get me a new back pack, we will just have to wait.."  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha sat down on the hard asphalt, as did everyone else.  
  
  
  
  
  
If you would have brought Kirara, we wouldn't have this problem..and now they might catch us and arrest us..", stated Sango..anxious to get back to her own time period..things were so confusing here..especialy this wierd hard black stuff they were sitting on.  
  
  
  
  
  
"If we would have brought Kirara, getting arrested would be the least of our problems.", Kagome stated wisely.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What happened to your old back pack?", asked Miroku.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"umm..its got a little bit of blood on it..", replied Kagome.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"A little?", snorted Inuyasha..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome ignored him.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
After sometime, Mrs. Higurashi drove back up to the group.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Immediatly, Sango and Miroku stood up and got themselves in a defense position.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Its not a demon you guys..", Kagome informed, somewhat amused at their actions.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Its..not?", asked a puzzled Miroku.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"No, see, look inside, see, my mom's inside it."  
  
  
  
  
  
"It ate your mother?!"  
  
  
  
  
  
"No you bakkas, its a car, it transports things using magic!" informed Inuyasha, as he approached the car, as if to prove it was harmless.   
  
  
  
  
After a little explaining, everyone boarded the car.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Here sweety! I got you a new back pack!", Mrs. Higurashi said as she handed her daughter a back pack that looked identical to her last one.  
  
  
  
  
  
"WATCH THE ROAD MOTHER!", Kagome warned, as a car swereved in front of them, barely missing them.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sorry sweety! Did you and your friends have any trouble getting out?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"No mom, we sneaked out of the hospital illegaly without any complications....by the way..when did you talk to Inuyasha?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh sweety! I called him everyday to see how your friends were doing, oh, I forgot to ask, How are you two doing?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Were actualy completely healed.", Sango told Mrs.Higurashi, in a voice a kindergarden teacher would use on her students.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"WANDERFUL!", she exclaimed. And looked in the backseat at Inuyasha, Sango, and Miroku, she smiled at all three of them.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"MOM THE ROAD!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"oh right! sorry sweety!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome looked back at her poor friends, who were not used to driving in a car, much less her mother's driving. Miroku looked horrified..Sango looked as if she were trying to control the urge to scream, and Inuyasha looked slightly concerned.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh look! Isn't that field of flowers lovely!", Mrs. Higurashi exclaimed as she turned her head to look out the side window.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"THE ROAD MOTHER! THE ROAD!", Kagome honestly didn't know how her mother stayed alive without her there.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh yes, the road!", she said as she turned back around.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The rest of the ride went on basicaly like that, Mrs.Higurashi forgetting what she was doing, and Kagome reminding her.   
Finaly, they arrived back at Kagome's home.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango and Miroku both jumped out of the car almost before it had come to a complete stop, Inuyasha waited on the car to stop, but was still pretty quick to get out.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"So are you all staying any longer or are you leaving right away?"  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome was about to say that she was going to pack and then leave, but was inturpted by both Miroku and Sango.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh, were all leaving right now!, I think I left a fire burning somewhere..those could burn down a hole forest! Right Houshi Sama?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh yes..I think we both left fires burning..that could do twice the damage! We better leave right away!"  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha snickered at Miroku and Sango's lame attempts at lieing.  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome couldn't help but giggle.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh well then you better leave soon! I wouldn't want the forest to burn down!, that could change history!"  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome sighed at her mother's stupidity, Sango and Miroku ran towards the well house.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I'm just going to go pack first, Inuyasha, Why don't you go keep them from jumping down the well and hurting themselves.", Kagome told Inuyasha, as she had visions of Sango and Miroku attempting to go through the well by themselves and only falling to the bottom.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh.." he replied as he made his way to the well house.  
  
  
  
  
"BUT THE FIRES!!", exclaimed her mother.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"It'll be alright, mother, why don't you just come on inside and help me get packed!", Kagome said, once again making what she told her to do sound like the greatest thing in the world.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Ok! Oh, I could make cookies too!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I don't think we have time for cookies...remember the fires..?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh, right, lets hurry and get you packed."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
And so they did.  
  
  
  
  
  
************************Meanwhile, back in Fuedal Japan***  
  
  
Seshoumaru sat down on a clean rock, so as not to dirty his pretty white outfit.  
  
  
  
  
  
"What are we doing Seshoumaru-sama!?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Were going to find out who killed Naraku.", he answered the curious little girl, who just continued to stare at him.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sit down.", he ordered, and the little girl plopped herself down on the ground.  
  
  
  
  
  
"NOT THERE!", he said, in what, could, almost be described as, horror,"you'll dirty your Kimono!"  
  
  
  
  
  
Rin promptly stood up and seated herself onto a rock near Seshoumarus.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Rin dousn't think we can find out who killed the meanie guy by just sitting down."  
  
  
  
  
  
"I know that! now hush!", he commanded.  
  
  
  
  
  
Seshoumaru continued to try and think of someone who might know something, when suddenly, he saw something out of the corner of his eye. Rin was waving her hands around in the air, but she was still sitting.  
  
  
  
  
"What is it now? You may speak."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Rin knows someone who might know something!"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Who?", asked Seshoumaru skepticaly, the little girl couldn't possibly know something he didn't.  
  
  
  
  
  
" Rin thinks the fan lady might know!"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Fan Lady?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"the one that flies on the feather!"  
  
  
  
'The one that flies on the feather?' Oh yes, the wench who had tried to bribe me into killing Naraku...she probably knew what had happened..for a small human..Rin could be intelligent..'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Come..lets go Rin."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Where are we going Seshy?"  
  
  
  
  
  
Seshoumaru went to a nearbye tree and banged his head on it a few times, it seemed to now be his automatic reaction to that name..  
After finishing. He walked back over to a frightened and confused Rin.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Were going to go find Kagura...don't call me that anymore."  
  
  
  
****************************************************************************************************  
  
*A.N. translated, that means, the dog eared brother..and is what Souta calls Inuyasha in the Japenese anime, I dont know what he calls him in the english dub*  
****************************************************************************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Okie..so that was the chapter..realy great huh? Wasn't my best..but i had to get them back from the hospital..  
  
  
Note to Bubbles:  
I redid a paragraph or two in my last chapter, I think Bubbles is the only one who read the first version..I realized it sounded realy confusing and didn't make much sense..so I shortened it and fixed it alittle..its the part where kagome is in her room thinking..just go back and reread that part and you will be fine and dandy...any way..I realy appreciate all the flattery and stuff...and just looking at this imaginary picture makes me feel so encouraged..anyway..reread that thing..I think you read the crappy version..thanks for the reviews..  
  
  
  
Favorite Reviewers are: Bubbles and Kaylana *sends them each and imaginary Naruko's bloody and and gory body, without a head..sense they already have the head*..NOW YOU CAN CREAY THE WHOLE SCENE! Just lay his imgainary head down a few feet awat from his imaginary body..GOOD JOB!  
  
  
  
Anyway..Bye...ill update soon.. 


	17. Now or Never

  
  
**Chapter 17: Now Or Never**

  
****************************************************************************

  
Finally, Kagome had finished packing. Sure, it had taken her and her mother almost an hour, but at least it was over now. She let out a sigh as she swung open the front door, wishing she hadn't had to waste away so much time, not that she had anything important to do… no shards to find..

But still, if it had just been her alone packing, she could have been done in 5 minutes. Hell, after all the experience in packing quickly, she probably could set a world record by now. But it wasn't just her, and with her mother there, she was forced to constantly explain things.

Such as why exactly her nightlight (from when she was five, mind you) was not a necessity in Fuedal Japan.  
  
Half-way out to the shrine, where her friends were waiting, more than likely quite impatiently, she turned around to flash her mother a smile.

"Bye Mom!"  
  
Mrs. Higurashi waved from the doorway, "Oh bye, bye sweety! Have fun... are you sure you won't be needing that nightlight?" 

  
"Um.. Pretty sure mom", her voice died out as she entered the shrine, shutting the door behind her.  
  
Inuyasha, Miroku, and Sango were all sitting on the lip of the well, looking none to happy.  


Inuyasha scowled at her, "Its about time!"   
  
Miroku rose from his seat, leaning on his staff for support, apparently still a little weak from dieing. "What took so long?"  
  
Kagome rolled her eyes and turned her head in the direction she had came as if it should explain everything. "My mother.."  
  
"Can we go now?"  
  
  
Kagome nodded to Sango, "Of course.", she answered, joining her friend's on by the well.  
Sango stared down into the murky darkness of the well, still a little new at this.

"What are we supposed to do now?"  
  
Looking quite thoughtful, Kagome considered this a moment. Sure, it had worked once, but, would it work again? Or was it just a fluke or something?

"well… last time me and Inuyasha carried you guys through...you can't jump through on your own… so I guess we should do like we did last time.."  
  
A grown came from the inu hanyou, "I have to pick up the bouzo _again?"_"

  
Kagome crossed her hand's over her chest, annoyed at his whining, "Would you rather _I_ did it?", Well, the line worked _last_ time.

Without warning, Inuyasha grabbed the monk and slung him over his shoulder, again. 

Caught off guard, Miroku let out a noise that sounded a little too much like a yelp.

"Hey!"

  
"Shut up Lech and hold on!", not even bothering to look back, Inuyasha plummeted into the well.  
  
With Inuyasha and Miroku taken care of, Sango looked to Kagome, "So… I guess you have to pick _me_ up now?", Sango looked into the well apprehensively, she really wasn't all too fond of jumping through time, or into well's for that matter.  
  
"I guess so.."  
  
"So… what are you waiting on..?"  
  
Kagome flinched as memory's of what happened last time she and Inuyasha did this went through her head.

"Because of what happened last time… I'm gonna give them time to get out of the well, so we don't land on top of them."  
  
The demon exterminator couldn't help but blush at the idea of landing on top of Miroku, even if she was unconscious when it had happened. She waited a few more seconds before saying anything.  
  
"Has it been long enough now?"

  
"Lets hope so…", Without another word, Kagome grabbed hold of Sango and pushed them both into the well, she didn't pick her up this time, only grabbed onto her, figuring is should work just as well. 

She smiled as she was surrounded by the familiar, eerie, yet strangely calming, lucid array of various colors, and the thick atmosphere that she had never been able to distinguish between air and water. How many more times would she get to see this? What if this was one of the last time's? 

Shaking the thoughts away from her mind, resigned to just take things as they came, she braced herself for the hard landing that was soon to come.

Sango oofed as Kagome fell on top of her.  
  
Kagome hastily got off of Sango, "Sorry about that.'  
  
"It's ok, I'm fine..", Sango assured as she stood up, thanking kami that she was back in her own time, as was evidenced by the bright blue sky above her.  
  
  
"Inuyasha! Come help us out!", Kagome called. Of course, she could get out all by herself like she usually did, but this was just so much easier.

~*~

  
"Thanks.", Kagome mumbled as Inuyasha sat her and Sango down on the ground.

Sango looked around, apparently noticing for the first time the absence of her two most prized possessions.  


"Um, Kagome? Where is Kirara and my boomerang?"  
  
Kagome plopped herself down on the ground, rubbing her neck somewhat embarrassedly, "Well, um.. It's the funniest thing, I kind of.. Um.. Forgot it back after I killed Naraku... and Kirara is with Shippo.  


Miroku smiled Mishieviously from his spot leaning up against the well, "You mean after you chopped off his head?"  
  
Kagome gave him a glare that could freeze hell, then melt it, then make it grow tiny little wildflowers with cute little bunnies frolicking about.  


"No, after she _hacked_ off his head", Inuyasha corrected, hoping to irritate Kagome and bring back a little normalcy… even he could tell how forced the conversation was right now. It didn't take a genius to realize there was really no logical reason for Kagome _still _being there, other than…  
  
"Inuyasha? Why don't you just **_sit_** down.."   


Inuyasha complied with her request, though obviously not voluntarily, muttering a string of curses all the way.  


He spat out some dirt, and perhaps a small worm. "Why'd you have to go and do that for wench!?", sure, he had been making fun of her, but still, usualy he'd get a few more warnings before she snapped. She was probably just tense from… well, the obvious.

The subduing spell worn off, Inuyasha began to stand back up.  


"Inuyasha, I was serious about um.. Taking a seat, so, don't make me say it again! "  


Inuyasha sat back down, begrudgingly.

Noticing his sour expression, Kagome couldn't help but feel a little bitter. "What? What's wrong with just relaxing a minute? Got something more important to do?"  
  
Inuyasha threw his hands up in the air as if she were the biggest idiot in the world, 

"Well Yeah! Weve got jewel shards to-", his sentence died immediately as the realization of what he was about to say hit him, not to mention what it meant.

They didn't have jewel shards to find… So.. why couldn't they just sit down?  


Still somewhat shocked by this revelation, he scrambled for an end to his sentence to see all three of his companions waiting for him to finish what he started.

"Er..em.. Feh.", boy, was he ever gifted with words.

  
Kagome gave an empty laugh, "Yeah Inuyasha, no more jewel shards… no more reason for me to-"

  
Before she could finish her sentence, Miroku quickly interrupted her,

"Have you decided what you are going to do with the complete Shikon No Tama, yet?", Miroku mentally slapped himself, in attempting to get rid of the subject of her leaving, that he definitely wasn't ready to face, he had only brought about yet another unhappy subject.

  
She gave Inuyasha a not so subtle glance, " … It depends.."  
  
"But that's what you said last time!", apparently, Inuyasha didn't notice.  
  
Kagome only smiled at him, wondering if he was just pretending to be niave for show, or if he was just really that dense. Did he have no idea that it was _he_ who it depended on?

  
Not at all phased by Kagome's vague answer, Miroku seemed to have lost interest in the fate of the Shikon No Tama and was now attempting to grope Sango.  
  
She gave him her famous 'You are such an unbelievable pervert that someday I will chop you up into little bitty pieces and feed you to Kirara Glare of DOOM!' followed by a somewhat shrill scream of 'Hentaii', and a slap on the cheek.

  
Miroku smiled far to happily for someone who might be fed to Kirara someday, "But Sango, my air rip is gone, and Naraku is defeated..", he reminded, ignoring his stinging cheek.  


Sango stopped dead, and her famous 'You are such a pervert… ect. Glare of death' was soon replaced by the far more famous, though not in this time, or country, as the 'deer caught in headlights mask of pure terror'.

But soon that too was replaced by careful consideration. And then.. And then..

What the hell? Now that expression certainly didn't fit properly on Sango's face.  


Oviously, Miroku noticed it too, as it was he that the expression was being directed at.

__

'Why is she looking at me like that? Grinning all goofy and stupidly, you know.. She looks almost… Oh my-_she looks.. Lecherous!'_

  
Sango continued to grin at him, lecherously. 

Miroku still was trying his best not to have a heart attack from the shock.

Inuyasha and Kagome only stared at Sango, they had both saw that look before... too many times to count, only they had never seen it on her. And on her, it looked down right scary. Surely, _surely _this was the product of some kind of weird illusion.  
  
"Miroku..", Sango started, the name sounding somewhat foriegn coming from her mouth, "Why don't we go and retrieve my boomerang and your staff.. together?", she suggested in what could only be described as a suggestive manner.

The color drained from Miroku's face, never before had he been this shocked, never. Go and retrieve their weapons? Sure Sango, _real_ subtle. Not that he was much better at sublimalty, but then again, he never _tried_ to be subtle.  
  
Rememering that Sango was expecting an answer, he tried his best to stammer one out.

"Um-Yes, sure, Sango! Weapons, us, get! Yes! Now! Of course!", gee, Miroku was just _so_ smooth  
The demon exterminator stood from her spot, her hand extended to Miroku.

Miroku (very) happily took it, now grinning like an idiot.

And then the two began walking merrily into the woods.  
  
"We'll be back soon.", Sango yelled to her gawking friends as she made her way deeper into the forest.  
  
Somehow, Kagome doubted that very seriously upset.  
  
******************************************

Kagome and Inuyasha shared looks of pure stunned amazement, both sufficiently traumatized for life.  
  
Kagome cast an uncertain glance in the direction Sango and Miroku had went.

"You don't think they're _really_ just going to get they're weapons, do you?"  
  
Inuyasha rolled his eyes and pointed in the opposite direction of where Sango and Miroku had went, "The weapons are that way. Besides, I'm the only one who could find the place from here, and they know that."  
  
"Oh..", Kagome smiled somewhat sadly, though happy for the other two, part of her couldn't help but wonder why it couldn't be that easy for her.  


Inuyasha smirked, "Can you imagine what their kids are gonna be like?!", he shuddered involuntarily at the idea of little Miroku's running around asking anyone who would listen to bare their children

Kagome grinned slightly, but resolved herself to not get off subject. She was done procrastinating, the time had come and it was no or never.  
  
"Inuyasha, we need to talk.."  
  
  
**A.N_____________________________________________________________**

Revised/Edited/Official Version. 5/6/03. Thank you for reading my story.

__

Please Review

The deity,

Heather


	18. The Beginning or The End?

Chapter?L: The Begining or the End?  
  
  
  
  
  
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A little recap, heres the last thing that was said....  
"Inuyasha, we need to talk.", Kagome had said  
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Inuyasha flinched when he heard her say that. It made him feel physicaly sick. He knew this was going to happen sooner or later. He turned to her with pleading eyes.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What if I don't want to?", he asked, his voice sounding almost desperate.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What do you mean, you don't want to?", Kagome asked, caught of guard by his response, she had expected a lot of reactions to her sentence, but that had not been one of them  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I DON'T WANT TO!", he practicaly screamed, and bounded off to parts unknown.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome stared at the spot that the hanyou had been at only seconds before. He had ran off like lightening, into the forest. 'Well, THAT didn't go as planned.', she though, and then sighed. Here she was, all alone, beside the well. She lay down into the soft grass. What was she supposed to do know? Go after him? He could be anywhere! And, unlike him, she couldn't find HIM with a simple sniff of the air..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Even without being able to track him down, she still had a pretty good idea of where he was at...she knew him well enough to figure out where he would go in this kind of a situation. She knew that he was still somewhere where he could keep an eye on her, probably in a tree. She also knew that he was probably watching her right now.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha, your only delaying the inevitable.", she said aloud, in a normal voice, as if he were still sitting right beside her, she knew that, somewhere, he could here her.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She would give him time though. He obviously needed a little more of it. She would give him a few hours to collect himself. He DID have a lot to think about.So, Kagome closed her eyes and let the warm sunlight warm her body, untill, eventualy she drifted off into a light sleep.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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Inuyasha watched her as she sighed after he had left. He watched her pained facial expressions. He hadn't wanted to leave like that, but, he couldn't deal with that 'talk', not yet..but he would have to wouldn't he? He had heard her saying how he was only delaying the inevitable, and, he knew she was right...but..he didn't know what he was going to do.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He loved Kagome. He still loved Kikyou. He still felt responsible for Kikyous death. Didn't he owe her his life for her own?  
And, even if there wasn't the Kikyou problem, what about the time difference, what about the difference in species? This was all too confusing...he didn't want to event think about it. So, instead, he focused his attention on Kagome, watching her fall asleep. Breathing her scent off the wind..He watched her sleep for hours..after all, he didn't know how many more chances to do that he would get..'this may be the last..'..he mused..  
  
  
  
  
  
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Kagome awoke. She looked around her and saw that night had fallen. The half moon bathed everything in an eerie lucent glow. It seemed to set the perfect mood for that night. She looked around, hoping to find that Inuyasha had returned. To her dismay, he was still gone. Kagome rose from the warm earth, Inuyasha had had enough time to think..she was going to go find him.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She walked slowly into the surrounding trees, searching for any sign that he was nearbye. As she walked farther into the forest, she thought she heard a slight rustling sound overhead.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha?", she asked, hesitantly. There was a pregnant pause before a voice almost in a whisper replied.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh..", It was the only word that was said, but it was enough to let Kagome know that she had found him.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha..we realy need to talk..please don't run away again..its..time.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"But, I don't want to talk, Kagome.", came Inuyasha's voice from above, still barely above a whisper, but now the voice had a whining tone to it.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome smiled sadly. "We have to Inuyasha."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Now, can we talk?", she asked again, her voice now almost devoid of all emotion, and frighteningly calm.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Can I stop you?", he snorted, trying to sound like his normal self.  
  
  
  
  
  
"I suppose you could kill me if you wanted, that would stop me.", came her numb reply.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha didn't like the way she had said that. It was said so seriously..he couldn't kill her, she knew that. Surely she trusted him that much!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome sighed. "I'm sorry Inuyasha, I know you would never kill me...but just answer me honestly, can we talk now?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
As bad as he didn't want too, Inuyasha knew that he would have to agree. "Yes..we can talk now Kagome.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome smiled a rather forced smile, it was time to put step one or her plan into action. 'all you have to do is ask him, its not that hard..be brave..', she tried to reasure herself.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Ok Inuyasha, I need to ask you a question, do you love me?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh..."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha..", she pleaded.. He said nothing.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha, I know that you love me, I just want you to say it for the sake of this discussion..please, just say it, for me..?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Fine, wench, I love you.", he grumbled.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She smiled sadly again.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I love you too...now lets continue...I want to be with you for the rest of my life Inuyasha, I don't want to be without you...and don't tell me you didn't know that, because, I know you did, you must have known....now, Inuyasha, will you have me?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
It was a simple question. All Inuyasha had to do was answer yes or no. But he couldn't do that..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What about Kikyou...I deserve to go to hell with her.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome sighed, she had expected this..  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha? What makes you think you deserve to go to hell with her?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I killed her.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome's eyes seem to gain an almost angry glow.  
  
  
  
  
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"Inuyasha...why can't you get it through your thick skull? Sometimes you can be so smart..but yet, you can't even REALIZE that you didn't kill her, Naraku did! It wasn't you, it was him, we both know that, so why do you keep blaming yourself?! IT WASN'T YOU! IT WAS NARAKU! HE IS DEAD! BELIEVE ME, I KNOW, I KILLED HIM! I MADE SURE HE WAS DEAD WHEN I HACKED HIS FUCKING HEAD OFF!", she screamed in desperation.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha stared down at her, shocked, he had never seen her like that before...It scared him..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'Kagome..", he whispered..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He thought about what she had said. He knew it was true, deep down, he had always known...He looked at the desperate girl below him, her eyes screamed out at him, begging him for any response at all, other than just saying her name.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"How do I choose?", Inuyasha whispered down to her, just loud enough for her to here.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
At that, Kagome gave a bitter laugh.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'How DO you choose Inuyasha?, after all, one of us is dead, and the other is alive, that IS a hard question.", she thought, that was what she wanted to say.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Instead, she shook her head, as if mentaly banning that sentence from leaving her mind. That wasn't the right way to convince him.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha, come here."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He looked down into her eyes curiously, almost afraid to do as she had said.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Please?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Cautiouslty, he jumped down from his perch.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"come closer Inuyasha."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He took a few hesitant steps untill he was within a foot of her.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Give me your hand Inuyasha."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Guardedly, he place his hand into her outstreched one. She brought it up to her chest and pressed it against her beating heart.  
  
  
  
  
***A.N HER CHEST! -NOT- HER BREAST..honestly you perverts..sad that I have to write these..****  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Do you feel that Inuyasha?", she asked, as she stared strait into his bewildered eyes..he gave a small affirmitave nod. " I imagine you can hear it too...thats my heart Inuyasha, it beats, that means I am alive,  
Kikyou isn't."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha seemed to shocked to say anything, he was frightened at the way she was acting..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome's expression didn't change from the sad, forced small smile it had possessed earlier. She removed his hand from her heart, but still didn't let it drop. Instead, she seemed to be examining his long, sharp claws. A hint of dread crossed her face, but was soon switched to resolution as she took one of his fingers and drug it roughly across her arm. She didn't press down too hard, it was only a small scratch, but it was enough to draw blood, that was all she had wanted.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha stared at what she had done in horror. WHAT WAS SHE DOING THIS FOR?  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"See that Inuyasha?", once again staring into his eyes, waiting on him to affirm it, slowly, after recovering enough to do so, he nodded his head a little, " That's my blood, that also is proof that I am alive, Kikyou isn't."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha still made no response, he was still trying to recover the ability to talk.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome looked down at his hand she was holding, this time she dropped it. She stared back into his eyes again, and spoke with no emotion.  
She absently wiped the blood from the small scratch on her arm.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha, I want you to live, Kikyou dousn't."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Giving herself no time to chicken out, she grabbed hold of him and pulled him close to her, and then, she kissed him. The kiss was empty, lacking any passion, or feeling whatsoever, she hadn't meant it too, she had only wanted the gesture itself.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha backed away from her slightly, confusion danced in his eyes, and he looked as if he didn't know what was going on.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"That was my first kiss..", Kagome mused aloud.." somehow, I never thought it would be like this..but, thats not the point, the point is Inuyasha, I kissed you, do you know why?, because I love you, Kikyou dousn't.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha pondered what she meant be that. Kikyou didn't love him? 'Of course she doesn't!, it was her hatred for me that kept her alive in the first place..'..still, even that revelation wasn't enough for Inuyasha. He continued to stare at her blankly. He didn't know what to do.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome ignored the distressed look that had taken up residency on Inuyasha's face, and continued with the end of the speech she had planned.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"So what will it be Inuyasha? Life or death? Love or hate? Past or Present....The beginning, or The end?  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The last one hit him hard, that realy was what it was wasn't it? The begining or the end..It could be the begining of so many things..or it could end them all.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
At first, Kagome had looked as if that were the end of her speech, but now, it looked as if she were fighting a secret inner battle, and then, it looked like one side finaly won.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha,", Inuyasha stared down at her as her melancholy yet determined voice wafted through the breeze, " If you go to hell with her, I'm going too."  
  
  
  
  
  
That little part of her speech hadn't been a part of her original plan..but it was true, if he went to hell, she would go with him.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
That sentence caught him completely off guard..Go to hell with him? She loved him enough to do that?!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Why the hell would you do that for?!", he asked, in what appeared to be anger.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Her face stayed eerily serene.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha, I don't realy know where I belong anymore..why not make it hell?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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Inuyasha was confused, she didn't know where she belonged? What the hell did she mean by that? Then, suddenly a wave of revelations went through his mind. He understood everything perfectly. He understood what it must be like for her, living in two different time periods, all the emotional turmiol that must cause. And he realized another thing to, he knew where she belonged. She belonged with him, and he didn't belong in hell. Still, there was the matter of him being a hanyou and her a human, not to mention the difference in times.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"But..but Kagome, what about the difference in times?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha, you should have realized that if I am willing to go with you to hell, than I am most certainly willing to live with you in the Warring States Period."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"But Kagome, your a human and I'm a hanyou...you will die and leave me.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Ignore that Inuyasha, just ignore that for the moment, I have a solution for that too, but, for now, ignore it, and just answer me this, will you have me?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Do you..do you want me to become full human with the Shickon No Tama, is that your solution?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome sighed for what seemed like the thousandth time that day.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"No Inuyasha, I suppose that is another way that I am not like Kikyou, I am not queit so selfish, or so shallow, I accept that your hanyou, I love you for it, and I could not possible ask you to cut back more than half your lifetime just to be with me, thats like asking you to kill yourself, you could never be happy that way, I've saw the way you are in your human form..you feel defenseless, you hate it, your not happy being human..I love you too much to do that..so, no Inuyasha, that is not my solution, and, if you will just answer my question, we shall find out if my solution is even neccary or not..".  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She paused for a moment, letting the words register with Inuyasha.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Now, Inuyasha, and this time, answer me, no more questions untill you answer me, will you have me?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha looked at her, he saw the pain in her eyes and the fear of his rejection.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He hesitated a moment, "Feh, you say you don't know where you belong, bakka, you belong with me...", he stated, trying his best to sound angry with her, and then his voice softened.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Of course I will have you..", he whispered, as he drew her practicaly shaking with anxiety body into a hug.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*A.N, just imagine the scene where he hugged her before he pushed her through the well in 'go back Kagome, to your true time*  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome collapsed into his embrace, her body shaking with sobs of relief, Inuyasha only continued to hold her, feeled with curiousity, if not a little dread, as to what her plan would be.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
************************************************************************************************************************************************Is that another cliff hanger?  
  
And there it is, my big important chapter, where the story got its namesake. Don't fret my children, this is not the end, no where near it...*cackles evily*...this story has only just begun!!MAUAHAHAH.....I liked this chapter..so..flames for it are not alowed..anyway..in case anyone is wandering where miroku and sango were during this little thing, they are still "looking for her boomerang and his staff.. "..sure..of COURSE thats what they are doing..   
  
  
  
  
Have you noticed the lack of an update on what the hell Seshoumaru is up to now? well i didn't feel like he belonged in these last two chapters, but, dont worry aalll you fluffy lovers, he will be back in a chapter or two, to continue his quest to find out who killed naraku...  
  
Anyways..the next chapter should be out shortly..probably...maybe tonight... (its 5:08am)...and you shall all find out just what the hell Kagome's solution is...  
  
anyway..favorite reviewers..:Kaylana and Bubbles and RobGirl..yeah, rob girl is a new addition, but she has became a pretty steady reviewer, so ill add her to my list...Congratulations robgirl..you have now joined this elite group of wanderful reviewers *sends all three of them and imaginary Kagura...and an imaganary box of chocolates..*...okie bye bye now..PLEASE REVIEW THIS CHAPTER!!!!PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!! 


	19. Putting Part 2 Of The Plan Into Action

Chapter?: Putting Part 2 of The Plan Into Action.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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Kagome's sobs eventualy began to become softer, and then, non-existent. She held on tight to Inuyasha, letting his haori dry up her remaining tears. She felt his arms holding on to her so protectively, she had never felt so safe before in her life. She knew then that he was right, she did belong with him, being in his arms just felt so right. As much as she would have liked to continue their embrace, she pulled away from him and backed off a few spaces.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha felt her slip out of his arms, and then she was standing in front of him. He loved her so much, but could he realy do this to her? Was it fair for him to make her leave her own time...but..was that her own time? She belonged with him, whenever that was, and that was what he knew for sure. He looked at her, standing in front of him, with a slight smile on her face, her eyes were still puffy from the crying, he could see tracks from the tears.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha?..I guess you want to know what my solution is..don' t you?", her voice sounded almost normal again, no longer frighteningly emotionless.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha nodded, he was still way too surprised from the previous goings on to have fully regained the power of speech yet. He looked at her with curious eyes.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha..you don't..still want to become full demon, do you?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'Become full demon?, its had been a good while since I've wanted to do that!'..he simply shook his head no.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Then, can I use the jewel?, can I use the wish?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'If she dousn't want me to become full human, then why the fuck would she need the jewel?', he asked himself, trying to figure it out.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome smiled a little at his confusion..she should have known she would have to spell it out for him.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What do you want the jewel for?", he asked, not because he wanted it, not because he wouldn't let her have it, but simply for curiousitys sake.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Its the solution to the problem Inuyasha.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What is?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"The wish.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Stop speaking in fucking riddles and explain it to me!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome giggled slightly.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I want to use it to become hanyou...that way I can be with you forever.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"BECOME HANYOU!?!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes, I figure that if it has the power to make you, a half demon, a full youkia, then wouldn't it have the power to make me, a human, a hanyou...Kikyou even thought it could make a hanyou into a human, so, it should be able to make a human into a hanyou, simple logic, Inuyasha.."..she smirked at him, as she explained her reasoning, all though she knew that that was not what he had meant by his little outburst.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Why do you want to become a hanyou!? You won't be able to visit your friends, or your family! And you'll be hated by most humans and full Youkia, you want fit in anywhere!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha, your forgetting, why would I not be able to see my family? Even if I did look hanyou, they have saw you before. And as for friends, I don't know if you have noticed this or not, but, my friends pretty much consist of you guys. And, why would I care if I were to be hated by most humans and full Youkai? I have you guys, you all are all I need. And about fitting in, you said I belonged with you, and I think I fit in perfectly there.", she explained again, calmly, she had had this all thought out well.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha looked stumped for a moment, as he considered what she had just said. It DID make sense...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What about your test things you like so much? What about skooool?", he asked.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Its, school.", corrected Kagome, pronouncing the word correctly, "And, I think I can live without it, your the one who has always said there is no need for it."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yeah, but you say that there is a need for it in your time!, and, if you become hanyou, then, eventualy you will live untill that time!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome once again smiled, as this was another point she had already expected him to make.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Then, when the time comes that I need school, I will go, I'll just start where I left off."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha knew that he had been beat. Still yet, he wouldn't except defeat that easily. He searched franticaly in his mind for anything else he could point out, finaly, finding nothing else, he grabbed onto, what must have been, the lamest excuse in the world.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"But...you'll lose your hair color!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome couldn't help but laugh at that..THAT was something she had not expected him to say.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"YOUR RIGHT INUYASHA! WHATEVER WAS I THINKING?! NOT MY BELOVED HAIR COLOR!."Kagome screamed in mock terror, and then went into fits of giggles.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh..fine then...become hanyou, I don't care.."..Inuyasha finaly agreed, he didn't realy know why he couldn't just accept it in the first place..he wanted her to be with him..it wasn't that he was trying to prevent it..he had just been warning her. But, seeing as how she had already accepted all of that, he figured..what the hell, why not?  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome fought back more giggles.'Changing hair color?, thats the best he could do?!'..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well, when are you gonna do it wench, we haven't got forever!", he complained.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Actualy Inuyasha, YOU do have forever, and, soon, I will too.", she said, finaly choking back laughter.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha smiled slightly at the idea of the two spending eternity together..it was an idea he liked a lot. Then he remembered one last thing he had forgot to warn her about.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kagome, you will have to watch Miroku and Sango get old and die, and then you will watch their children do the same, and then the cycle will repeat, you will have to go through the same process with almost everyone you are close to."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The smile Kagome had possessed earlier, vanished from her face.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I know that Inuyasha, I have came to terms with it..I accept that..", she said, solemnly. Kagome then pulled out the jewel from around her neck.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"How do I use it?", she asked Inuyasha.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I don't know..I think you just..wish.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I wander if this will purify it..Kikyou said that if you were to use it to become human, it would be purified, as that would be a pure wish..I can't help but wander if this wish is pure..", mused Kagome.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh..just use it and we'll find out!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Do you think you should stand back or anything?" asked Kagome, unsure of what exactly would happen when she made her wish.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha said nothing, but did step back a few feet.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome smiled at him and removed the jewel from around her neck. She held it up in front of her.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well..here it gos..", she murmered.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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Kagome didn't know exactly what to say..how was she supposed to wish? She decided to just play at by ear.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Jewel of the four souls, I have a wish to make.", she began softly, the jewel began to glow a light pink. "I wish to be a dog hanyou, so that I may live with Inuyasha without ever being forced to leave him because of old age, I love him, Please grant my wish, so that I may live through whatever horrible destiny that fate sees fit for me, with him."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well..that sure was encouraging!", snorted Inuyasha sarcasticaly.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Before Kagome could reply to his little comment, she was blinded by a humungous flourescent pink light.   
  
  
  
  
********************  
  
  
Inuyasha watched, as a glowing pink light engulfed Kagome, so that he could no longer see her. The light seemed to last for hours, but only seconds went by. Inuyasha listened, the light emmited a soft almost soothing hum.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Finaly, the light disappeared, as well as the jewel.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha looked to where Kagome had previously been standing, and, was at first horrified to find her gone, then, his eyes caught site of her body, laying in the grass below. She looked unconcous.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kagome?", he ran up to her. At first, she didn't move, or make any sign that she had heard him.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kagome?!", he asked again, concerned.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kagome?", he whispered once more.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
And then she bolted upright.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*****************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome had finished saying her wish. And then she had faintly heard Inuyasha say something, no doubt making fun of her little speech, but his voice was blocked out by a humming noise, and the bright pink light.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The light, that was the last thing she saw before she saw nothing. Blackness. She was vaguely aware that she was now on the dew-sodden grass.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Someone was calling her name, it was so queit...at first..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
And then someone was saying her name almost a million times louder. And the crickets that she had been unaware of before sounded as if they had formed a colony and gotten a microphone. Somewhere, an owl called out so loudly that she thought her ears would burst. All the noises! It was almost unbearable. At the sound of Inuyasha saying her name again, as if he had a loud speaker and had pressed it against her ear, she sat bolt upright.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*********************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"AHH! STOP SCREAMING AT ME, MAKE THE NOISES STOP!!", she screamed, then flinched very visably at her own voice, she grabbed at where her ears SHOULD have been, in hopes of stopping the noise.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH MY EARS ARE GONE! MY EARS ARE GONE!! MAKE THE NOISES STOP!", she screamed again, and then, almost fell down at the sound of her own voice.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha watched her, perplexed, then he realized something...that, because of the way she was laying on the ground, he hadn't noticed before... she had dog ears, the wish had worked.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He laughed at her, realizing what must have happened, it was definately going to take her a long time to get used to her much improved hearing.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome had closed her eyes, as if that would help stop all the noises. Then she felt someone grab her hand tentatively.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha had taken her hand, he slowly trailed it up to the top of her head.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome felt her arm being lifted to the top of her head, she felt her fingers traveling over her hair, and then she felt Inuyasha let go of her hand, after leaving her own on something soft and fuzzy. Oddly enough, with her hand there, the noise seemed to have diminished somewhat. But what was that on her head..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"OHMIGOD I HAVE DOG EARS!", she yelled out, and then flinched once again at the sound of her voice.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Ya think?", asked Inuyasha calmly, as he placed her other hand on top of her other ear.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'Thats much better.', thought Kagome, with her hands on both ears. She could still hear everything VERY vividly, but it wasn't ear shattering anymore.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"You have to learn to block it out.", Inuyasha explained.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome was overcome with guilt for EVER yelling at Inuyasha, she had NO idea everything was soo..loud..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I'm sorry.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sorry?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"For ever yelling at you..I didn't no it hurt like this."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh, it doesn't, you just have to get used to it, and then it wont hurt at all..Your just so used to your weak human ears...let go of your ears and try to ignore the loudness."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome slowly released her ears. The noise still hurt her head. But she tried her best to ignore it, like Inuyasha had said. Soon, the pain subsided, and, even though she was still more aware of every little noise withing a ten mile radius, it no longer hurt.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
With her mind no longer on that, she noticed something else.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha..", she sniffed the air, "You smell good!", she finished, in a somewhat surprised voice.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh, of course I do, wench."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha smirked. He was going to enjoy her being a hanyou a lot more than he had expected. He couldn't help but laugh at Kagome's expression of general awe, as she sniffed a few more times.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Everything smells good!", she exclaimed, in an awe filled voice.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh, just wait till you go visit your old time, you wont think everything smells good there."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome ignored him.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What color is my hair?", she asked, excited.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh see for yourself, you can see in the dark now, in case you haven't noticed.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I CAN!", she exclaimed, as she noticed the lack of trouble she was having with seeing her surroundings. Undoing the ponytail her hair had been in, she brought some in front of her face.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Its the same color as yours!!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Of course it is!, all dog youkia have the same color hair."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh, I guess I never noticed."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"feh..", then he noticed something.."actualy, your hair isn't completlely white, you have one black streak in it...I guess its because your not naturaly a youkia..", he reasoned.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome put her hair back into a ponytail.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Come here..I want to fix something.", Inuyasha stated, as he looked at her hair.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome scooted closer to where Inuyasha was sitting. Inuyasha reached into her hair and pulled out the streak of black, so that it hung down by the side of her face.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome smiled at the gesture.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"You've got fangs too.", acknowledged Inuyasha, after Kagome smiled, bringing her fangs into site.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome ran her tongue across her teeth, to see for her self.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I DO!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha smirked at her again. Then, he leaned in and kissed the girl turned hanyou. And, it was a kiss that certainly made up lack of passion, feeling, or emotion she had experienced with the last one. It was much longer too.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
After finishing with that., Inuyasha looked at Kagome, he seemed somewhat reluctant to say what he was about to.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Um..Kagome..theres one last thing."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What?"..she asked suspiciously.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I have to mark you as my mate."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Mark me?..how do you do that..", she was almost afraid to ask.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I've got to bite you."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"BITE ME!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Somewhere on the back of your neck by your shoulder."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"BITE ME!?", repeated Kagome.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"It wont hurt..remember, your a hanyou now..you wont feel a thing.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome gulped..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I'm sure."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Alright..", she agreed somewhat reluctantly, as she closed the gap between them.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha pulled her around so that her back was facing him. Hesitantly, he pulled down the colar of her Kimono a little.  
He sat there a minute. Scared of what he was about to do. He knew it wouldn't hurt her, now that she was a hanyou, but, part of him couldn't help but think of her still as a weak human.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Just do it, Inuyasha..", Kagome whispered, and was immediatly reminded of a nike commercial, she giggled at that thought, not even noticing that Inuyasha had bit down into her neck untill she felt someone wipe something off of it.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I'm done..it didn't hurt..did it?"..asked Inuyasha as he wiped away the blood. He was relieved to see that her now hanyou body had already made the wound close over..soon all that would be left was a scar.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Your done?! I didn't feel anything..", she said as she felt the back of her neck, trying to find where he had bit her.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"But theres nothing there!?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Remember, your hanyou, you heal fast."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"So..that mark makes me your mate..so..im your mate now?", asked Kagome, blushing.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes...you are.." Inuyasha replied, blushing as well.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"So, if I'm hanyou..does that mean I'm as strong as you?", asked Kagome, changing the subject.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh, no one is as strong as me! But you are much stronger than you were..and you have all the abilities a normal hanyou would."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Good..then theres something I have always wanted to do.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Before Inuyasha could ask just what that was, Kagome had jumped high into a tree. He quickly followed her. She was perched on the same branch he had been before.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"How do you sleep up here?!", she asked, as she tried to make herself comfortable.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha brought himself up to a branch higher than the one she was on, and situated himself against the trunk.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Come here and I'll show you."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome happily complied. Once up on the same branch, Inuyasha beckoned for her to come closer, and then, blushing, he brought her into his arms. Kagome was at first surprised, but then she lay her hand up against his chest and leaned into him. His arms enclosed her, ensuring her safety.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
It wasn't long before she was fast asleep, exhausted from everything she had been through in the past few days. Now, with all her problems solved, she could finaly relax.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha could hear her steady breathing. He looked down and saw the top of her head and her dog ears, he almost laughed when he realized something about them that he had not noticed before. The tips of them were black..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He knew that she was asleep, tightening her grip on her, he smiled softly. She was his. He had a mate. He felt almost proud of himself.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"This is how I sleep up here..", he whispered to the sleeping Kagome, grinning. Soon, he too had fallen asleep with his mate.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*******************************************************************************************************  
  
  
How did you like that chapter..? The story is NOT over yet, far from it actualy, I plan to make this into sort of a series, so don't hope to get rid of me too soon. Theres still much more to come..soon they will have to get Shippo and Kirara, not to mention see Kagomes mom..in fact..theres still the matter of Seshoumaru and his quest, not to mention a whole mess of other characters I can throw in along the way..*snickers*..Kouga..that should be fun..  
  
  
Anyway, PLEASE review this chapter.  
  
Favorite Reviewers are,: Bubbles, kaylana, Robgirl, and Bunny...Bunny is the newest addition, I added her because she never fails to review, not to mention she writes pretty good reviews too.. *sends them all an imaginary Kouga*....I hate Kouga...anyway..he was just the only character I could think of that Bubbles dousn't already have..okie..anyway.bye now..Next chapter should be out before Monday...oh..and I think someone asked me what time zone I was in..I live in Arkansas..thats Central time, its 3:54 Am right now..my muse wakes up around 1 am...ok..bye.. 


	20. Telling Your Friends That You Have Switc...

Chapter?: Telling Friends That You have Switched Species.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
************************************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango and Miroku walked hand in hand out of the forest towards the well.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Do you think they will be suspicous since we didn't bring back my boomerang, or your staff.?", asked Sango, back to her rather shy self.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku grinned, Kagome and Inuyasha would have to be pretty dense to actualy think that they had been looking for her boomerang and his staff.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Instead of telling her that, he reasured her. "We can just tell them that we looked for it, but couldn't find it."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'Well...Iguess my boomerang COULD have been hidden in Miroku's clothes...I looked THERE for it..so maybe thats not lieing.', mused Sango.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Soon they both reached the well, only to find that Inuyasha and Kagome were both missing, all they found was Kagomes new yellow backack.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well..where are they?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Maybe you gave Kagome some ideas.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"HENTIA!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I don't think you can realy say that anymore without being a hyprocrite.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"HENTIA!!", Sango screamed again, blushing, as she slapped Miroku.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well...if thats the price I have to pay for last night.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"HENTIA!", she yelled once more, as her palm came down hard on his cheek.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Okay..okay..", Miroku grinned.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What do you think we should do? Wait for them?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I suppose they will have to come back for her backpack, regardless of where they went..", decided Miroku, as he sat down against the side of the well.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well...okay...", agreed Sango as she took a seat close to Miroku.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku put his arm around her shoulders. Sango eyed him warily, but, his arm stayed put on her shoulders, and did not wander elsewhere.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He grinned at her, feeling her tense, more than likely worried that he would grope her..no..he wouldn't do that anymore..at least..not when she didn't want him too.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The two relaxed against the well, waiting on Inuyasha and Kagome to return. They didn't have to wait long though.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"MIROKU! IS THAT KAGOME!??"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
************************************************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome awoke to find herself in Inuyasha's arms, something had woken her up...something that sounded suspiciously a lot like someone, namely Sango, screaming 'hentia'. She looked up at Inuyasha , only to find him looking down at her with a smirk on his face.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Was that Sango?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"You should be able to smell her..and the monk."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well..I don't exactly know what they smell like.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome sniffed the air, not knowing what to look for. Fortunately, a new instinct detected the traces of a new smell in the wind.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"But..theres only one scent..shouldn't there be two?"..Kagome asked, confused, math might not be her best subject..but she wasn't that stupid.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha continued to smirk.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Normaly there would be two...right now they smell like each other, I guess that should answer your question as to whether or not they were REALY looking for their weapons.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome blushed.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Come on, lets go.", and, without even waiting on Kagome's reply, Inuyasha brought them both to the ground and sat her down. He began to make his way back the well. However, Kagome just stood where she was.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Come on wench!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha..what do you think they will say..?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"How am I supposed to know?!, I bet we would find out a lot quicker if you would come on."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome still didn't move. It wasn't that she was afraid of rejection..she was just..nervous. Inuyasha noticed Kagome's anxiety and his expression softened somewhat. He walked over to her and picked her up, carrying her in his arms, he made his way to the well, Kagome didn't complain, she stayed silent.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
******************************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome heard Sango's sentence, although, had she still been human, she would not have. She was beginning to enjoy her newfound improved senses.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes, its me.", she called, as she came closer, "Inuyasha..you can put me down now."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha sat her down without a word. 'This should be interesting..'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome ran over to the gawking Sango and Miroku, her faster legs covering the short distance in no time, Inuyasha followed closely behind.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Wh..wh..what h..h.happened..?!", whispered Sango, as she stood from the ground and walked over to her friend. She couldn't help but touch Kagome's ears, making sure they were real.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome giggled when Sango touched her ears, it tickled.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I used the Shickon No Tama."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"To become a hanyou?", asked Miroku, stating more than asking.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"yes..."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Wow..".Sango murmered..trying to take in everything she had just been told.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Does this mean your staying with us?", the houshi asked.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yep!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Wheres the jewel?", wandered the monk.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Umm..I don't realy know.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Will you still be able to go back to your own time without the jewel?", asked Sango.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Umm..I hadn't realy thought of that...hmm..well..when Inuyasha took the shards from me that one time, I wasn't able to travel back and forth...", muttered an increasingly worried Kagome.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh, don't worry, the only reason that it didn't work without the jewel that time was because the jewel was what tied you to this time, remember, you still traveled back to your own time when I pushed you, even though I had the jewel.", explained Inuyasha.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well..then..if I go visit my family, will I be stuck there..like I was when I didn't have the jewel."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh, of course not, now you have something else to tie you to this time.", explained Inuyasha, smirking, he was glad HE finaly got to be the one to explain things.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Look at yourself bakka, I think being hanyou counts as tieing you to this time.", he walked up beside her and put his hand over where the mark he had made was, and, loud enough so that only she would hear him, he added, "so does this.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome smiled, she was happy to be Inuyasha's mate, and very relieved to know that she could still travel between times.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"So..you used the Shikon No Tama to turn into a hanyou?", asked Sango again, still trying to accept it.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"and your going to live here?", added Miroku.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Just making sure.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"So..what do you think?", inquired Kagome, some of the nervousness from before returning.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku stared at her for a moment. Sango touched her ears again and then stepped back.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Your eyes are amber now...", Sango stated the obvious.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome looked at them both, waiting for something more.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Answer the girl!", demanded an agitated Inuyasha.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Its...its..wanderful!", cried Sango as she hugged her friend.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Your hair looks nice white.", added Miroku, grinning at her, a grin that had not one hint of lecherism.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kagome? will you and Sango be alright by yourselves?", asked Inuyasha.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sure..why?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Me and the monk are gonna go get a certain boomerang and staff that someone forgot to get."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I am?", asked Miroku.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes, you are.", Inuyasha could tell that Kagome wanted some time to talk to Sango, and they needed to go get Miroku and Sango's weapons anyway.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Come on letch!", commanded Inuyasha as he turned in the direction of where the battle had taken place.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"alright..", grumbled Miroku as he stood and followed Inuyasha.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kagome..we should be back by late tommorow, be careful..when we get back we can go get Shippo and Kirara..", informed Inuyasha.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Okay..you be careful too.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
And soon the two boys were out of sight.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
***********************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Soooo...Sango.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango looked at her friend, 'oh no..shes got that look in her eye again..'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What..?", she asked suspiciously.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
" I couldn't help but notice that you were gone all night and still didn't find haritasku..or Miroku's staff."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I couldn't help but notice you have two dog ears on your head and your marked as Inuyasha's mate.", she shot back.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Wh..what? How did you know that.?", Kagome asked blushing.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well the ears are kinda hard to miss.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Not that, how did you know about the mark, you can't even see it."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kagome, I'm a demon exterminator, we learn how to sense these things."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh..I..didn't know."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
" I bet I know something else you don't.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Tommorow night is the new moon."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Realy?, do you think I'll change back to being human again for tommorow night?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well...we both now that its not the same night for all hanyou, but I'm going to assume that the jewel probably turned you into what you think of when you think of a hanyou, and seeing as how Inuyasha is basicaly the only hanyou we know well, you'll probably have the same night as him, since when you think of a hanyou on his human night, you automaticaly think of the new moon, cause of Inuyasha."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"oh..You sure do know a lot Sango...Oh no! Shippo won't get to see me as a hanyou untill the next day."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I think he'll be alright, you could surprise him..although..he might be scared when he turns around and finds your hair has changed colors, you have ears, and fangs...not to mention claws."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome smiled, she looked at her long sharp fingernails. 'I bet these would look nice with some fingernail polish..I also bet I can embarass Sango a little more..", she pondered.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"So..why couldn't you find your boomerang..its almost as if you didn't even look for it."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A blush rose on Sangos cheeks and she glared at her friend.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I did too look for it! I just couldn't find it!", she defended, she had, after all, searched in Miroku's clothes very thoroughly.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sango..I realy don't think there was any chance that your boomerang was in Miroku's clothes.", Kagome said sarcasticaly, knowing her friend well enough to know how her mind would work.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hentai..we did too look...", muttered Sango.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome smiled at her friend mischieviously. "You can't lie to me Sango, I have a good nose now!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango blushed..'there is definately going to be some downsides to her being hanyou.'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Fine Fine, you win, I'm with Miroku now."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome continued to grin. "Thats all I wanted to hear."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that Kagome would stop there.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"So..whats it like being hanyou, I mean, for someone who has been human their whole life..?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Its...different..when I first changed..everything was soo loud..and now..I hear everything..but it doesn't hurt my ears anymore, and..I can smell everything..and it all smells soo good, I can still smell Inuyasha...his scent is still very close..and I can smell Miroku...although, Inuyasha says that thats not what he usualy smells like, that right now Miroku and you smell the same..because..well..you know..and I can see things so much more vividly....and I don't feel pain like I used too..when Inuyasha..marked me..I didn't feel anything..and I heal so much quicker, all in all, its an improvement..I like it, its nice..I can see what Inuyasha meant now, when he would call me a weak human, in his eyes, humans must be weak, since, all this that I've just gained, he has had his whole life..hmmmm....I wish I could see what I look like."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango, listened to her friend intently,wandering what it would be like to be in her place.  
  
  
  
  
  
'She hasn't even got to see what she looks like yet?'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Didn't you bring a mirror with you? You usualy bring everything."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"YOUR RIGHT! I must have packed a mirror in here somewhere!", she exclaimed as she began digging through her pack. Finding what she had been searching for, she brought it out and gazed into it.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
At first, it was hard to believe the image in it was her own. Her once black hair was now the same white-ish silver as Inuyasha's, up in a high pony tail with a single black streak hanging down the side of her face. Large amber eyes had replaced her brown ones, and, smiling wide, she saw that she now possesed fangs like Inuyasha's. She looked nice..It was a big change..but it was nice.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"wow..", she murmered..understanding how Miroku and Sango must have felt when they saw her for the first time.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hey, Kagome?, you wouldn't happen to have any food in there, would you? I'm starved, I haven't ate anthing sense I left yesterday."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
For the first time, Kagome noticed just how hungry she was, in all that had happened, she had forgotten to eat.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I think I have some ramen in here somewhere..", she said, pulling out two packs of ramen.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Not long after, they were both eating heartily. Spending the rest of the day, and even into the night, talking and chatting as only girls do.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
******************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha and Miroku had went a mile before either one of them said anything.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I'm hungry."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Tough it out letch."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"But I haven't had anything to eat since yesterday..", Miroku practicaly whined  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"So, your with Sango now?", Inuyasha smirked, changing the subject.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes!", grinned Miroku happily.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"And I suppose that you have proclaimed Kagome as your mate?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I'll take that as a yes..seeing as how it would be pretty stupid of Kagome to turn hanyou had you not."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Soo...just what did you and Lady Kagome do last night?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Pervert.", growled Inuyasha as he whacked Miroku over the head with a large stick.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Needless to say, the rest of the trip was spent in silence.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
******************************************************Far Far away, with Seshoumaru.*******************************  
  
  
  
  
  
"Seshoumaru-Sama..?", asked a cautious Rin, careful to not call him 'seshy', she didn't want him to mess up his pretty hair again.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What is it Rin?, didn't I tell you to hush?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Rin is tired, Rin and Seshoumaru-Sama have been walking sooo long..Rin's legs hurt.", she was beggining to fall behind.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Seshoumaru sighed..'weak humans...I suppose I will have to do this if I ever won't to find out who killed Naraku..', he decided.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Come here Rin."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Upon reaching Seshoumaru, Rin was brought up into the air and was placed on Seshoumaru's shoulders.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"weeeeeeeeee!", she cried happily.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Rin! Be still, and don't mess up my tail!, you can only stay up there if you be quiet, and NEVER, tell ANYONE, that I let you ride there."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Alright Seshoumaru-sama."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Seshoumaru sighed again..'what have I turned into?...'..he berated himself, as Rin sat grinning on his shoulders.  
  
****************Another chapter...okay..I feel the need to say this, I DO NOT, wont ANY reviews telling me I mispelled things. I KNOW I mispell things, I do not have spell check, and Im not a good proofreader, I write this on NOTEPAD, thats about as simple as you can get, so stop complaining, if it bothers you that much, go find another story to read.  
  
  
  
Ahem..I know I said it wouldn't be till monday that I updated, but, Sorensen talked me into it..I guess Im just a great person. Anyway..I hope you like the chapter.  
  
Thanks to EVERYONE who reviewed! *sends all reviewers an imaginary blade of grass from fuedal Japan.*  
  
Good reviewers:Aki, lady night, and jodie-chan.  
  
Favorite Reviewers: Sorensen, Kaylana, Bubbles, Bunny, and Robgirl. *sends them each an imaginary Souta*..enjoy the little boy...I hear he likes video games..give him one if he gets TOO annoying..anyway.,..bye bye..  
  
Ill update again tommorow. It is 9:06 am, central time, saturday morning.  
  
*************Ahem!! this is a reposted version**************** Today, feb the first, I became aware of a major inconsisticy in my story and the anime, it was in this chapter, so I fixed it. Who helped me become aware of this? Tsukinoko, who has pointed out my inonsisticies, so many times, i have almost cried, and seriously consider dropping this story completely. But seeing as how there are more fans than flamers, ill keep it up. Note to Tsukinoko: Thats the only thing Im gonna fix, I am getting one of my reviewers, kaylana, to proofread my chapters for me, and ill repost them when they are corrected. As for the other crap. Im sorry. Im not as knowledgeable of Tokyo or japan, as you are. You asked if i was keeping up with the manga, the anime, or both. Ok. Ive watched eps 1-38 dubbed. I watched about 20 random subs from later episodes. I keep up with the manga mainly. And as for any other info, i get it off sites, thats where i got the 'dog eared brother' translation thing. Im sorry i can't correct more of these...If it bothers you bad enough to only insult me so much, stop reading, cuz your making my review page all uglyful. 


	21. FIRE RAT! FOR ME? THANK YOU!

Chapter?: Fire Rat! FOR ME? THANK YOU!  
  
  
  
  
  
************************************  
THANK YOU TO ROBGIRL FOR PROOFREADING THIS CHAPTER  
  
  
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"How do you wear these clothes!?" Sango demanded of Kagome. They had both just finished eating breakfast, and Sango was beginning to tire of wearing Kagome's future clothes...actually, that may just be the understatement of the millennium.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome looked at her friend. What was she supposed to tell the demon exterminator? That in her old time they made her feel pretty and full of bouncity-bounce? 'Okay...well...maybe that's not how they make ME feel...hey…why do I wear my uniform all the time anyway? Especially here...its a pretty big inconvenience...at least NOW I'm wearing a Kimono…I should probably get some more of those...'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"This 'skirt' is soo short! It's a wander Miroku never groped UNDER it!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well...he never groped under it when *I* wore it...which is probably more than I can say for you." Kagome taunted her friend.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Pervert..." Sango muttered with a blush beginning to spread.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hmmm, come to think of it, you can KEEP that outfit, I don't think I want it anymore." Kagome grinned again.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I think turning into a hanyou has corrupted your mind Kagome." teased Sango.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh." Kagome giggled, giving her best Inuyasha imitation.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango had to smile at that. The girl-gone hanyou had a slight resemblance to Inuyasha, with her matching hair color and eyes.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"You DO have an extra pair of clothes at Kaede's, don't you?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I left my kimono there. I'll have to get a new battle suit, though they aren't exactly easy to come by." sighed Sango.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sorry, I would have kept your suit if I thought it could have been mended. But, it was in pretty bad shape. You know, its kind of strange, dressed like that, you could pass for someone in my old time, no one would ever know the difference, its really odd to think about it like that..."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes, it is strange, the doctor's had no idea that me or hou-...um Miroku were from the past."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Of course they didn't, that isn't really the first thing that jumps into peoples minds...they just thought you both were of questionable sanity. Screaming out 'wind tunnel', isn't exactly normal in that time."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I suppose not. You don't have many youkai there do you?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"No. The only one I have ever seen in my time was the centipede youkia. They are mere myths in that time, children's stories."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"It is sad that such history is so easily forgotten...it's as if it never existed in the first place."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome smiled sadly. What could she say to that? It was true. History is always forgotten, she had once not cared for history at all, until she happened to get so mixed up in it. It was easiest to just ignore the fact that, a hundred or so years from now, Sango's existence would be forgotten. It was easiest to move on to happier subjects.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango knew there was no way for Kagome to actually respond to that little musing. What could she have said? There was nothing to say. She would die, and Kagome would live, and watch her die. It was the way the world worked, and it was the way the world would continue to work. She couldn't deny the fact that she was a tad jealous of Kagome's lifespan. Kagome would get to see everything, she would get to live until her old time, and then she would live even after that, and watch the future that she had missed. 'But its a lot easier not to think about THAT...to just live in the present...or…in Kagomes position. The past…'Sango giggled slightly. THAT was a perplexing thought. Kagome was living in the present...in the past…  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hey Kagome, did you realize that you're living in the present, in the past."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What?!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"You know, how people always say, live in the present, well...you are living in the present...in the past...!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome giggled. She hadn't thought of THAT before.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"That's something to think about."  
  
  
  
  
  
A schoolgirl-ish _expression came over Sango's face.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"So, how did you get Inuyasha to finally choose between you and Kikyou?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
And so ended their short lived deep, meaningful conversation.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**************************************************************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Morning had arrived not long ago, and they had just arrived at the place where the battle with Naraku had taken place.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku stared in awe.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"KAGOME DID THIS?!", he demanded, disbelieving. He had heard Kagome when she had claimed to have decapitated Naraku, he had heard her whole story, but somehow, he never imagined it would look this…gory. In truth, although he knew Kagome would never lie, he had still not accepted the fact that it was her who had killed Naraku.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh!…Of course she could have never done it without the help of me!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"And what exactly did YOU do, Inuyasha?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"If she hadn't had the subduing spell, then she could have never pinned him down!" Inuyasha stated with a smug look on his face.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"But, YOU didn't put the subduing spell on yourself. Wasn't the rosary Kaede's idea?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hmph. Well fine then monk, if you want to see it THAT way, than it was KAEDE who killed Naraku bakka."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku smiled as he imagined Kaede trying to kill Naraku with big stick. Of course, the idea of Kagome killing Naraku with ANYTHING was equally amusing...not to mention a tad bit disturbing.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"And you're sure it was Kagome who did this?" he asked again, eyeing the grotesque remains of Naraku's body.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"No, it was Kagura, bakka." Inuyasha said dryly, he sniffed the air. "Sesshoumaru has been here since we were here last, so has that annoying little whelp he takes with him everywhere, why would THEY go here?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Perhaps he wanted to come see for himself?...Ahh THERE is my staff!". Miroku announced, as he ran over to where his staff lay, absently kicking the dead body of Kahaku out of the way.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"You do realize you just kicked Sango's dead brother, right?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku turned back and grinned at him innocently, "Oops."  
'He may have been possessed, but when someone stabs me repeatedly, I tend to bare a grudge..'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sango's boomerang is over there, letch.", Inuyasha informed, pointing over to where Sango's boomerang lay, partially hidden by the corpse of Kanna.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku retrieved the boomerang, staff in hand. " You would think a girl made of nothingness wouldn't have a corpse."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"You shouldn't think ANYTHING of Naruko's underlings, except that they're fucking strange.", snorted Inuyasha.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku nodded his head in agreement. Strange was one word for it.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh, lets go letch, this place stinks of Sesshoumaru, and death, there's one other place I want to go, and I don't want to leave Kagome alone to long either, she may have gotten stronger, but she still doesn't know how to use that to her advantage."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku looked thoughtful. "Do you think she has any attacks? I mean, yours came naturally, but she isn't naturally a hanyou, so, do you think, that, with her new strength, and new appearence, also came new attacks..original attacks..?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"...How am I supposed to know? Its not like I go around turning humans into hanyou all the time!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Just asking. I suppose we SHOULD be going now…"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Why do YOU want to leave? So you can grope Sango!? Letch."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku got that dopey looking grin on his face again.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I'm not going to grope Sango anymore, unless she wants me too."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hentia..." muttered Inuyasha as he shoved Miroku to the ground and began his trek back."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha, you mentioned going somewhere else before we went back to the girls, where did you have in mind?" asked Miroku as he picked himself up off of the ground.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Follow me and you'll find out."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Knowing he wouldn't get any more information out of the stubborn hanyou, he did just that.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
******************************************************************************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Night would be there soon, and Inuyasha and Miroku were no where in sight.  
The two girls were beginning to worry.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Where are those two!?" demanded Kagome of the unknowing Sango, for the fifth time.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I *still* don't know, Kagome." replied Sango, growing a bit agitated.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"They should have been back by now! He's gonna get stuck out there in his human form if he doesn't hurry up!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kagome, who is going to bother him? Naraku is dead, and the Shickon Jewel is gone. Can you smell them?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Smell him?!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango sighed, she had to keep reminding Kagome of what she was. "Kagome, look at your finger nails, feel your ears, your a hanyou now, REMEMBER! Now see if you can smell them."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh yeah! I'm just not used to it...I keep forgetting I'm no longer human. "  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome sniffed the air and looked thoughtful, trying to remember what Inuyasha had smelt like. 'How does he remember all these smells!? Maybe its just something you get used to, maybe I will adapt.'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well!?", asked a rather impatient Sango.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome sniffed the air again.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I can smell them, but, not very well, I wish I could judge the distance just by the smell like Inuyasha can, but, they are close enough so that I can smell them faintly, so I guess they have to be pretty close."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango sighed again. "I wish you would adapt to your new abilities quicker. It is kind of windy, that may account for the faintness of the smell, they could be very close and their smell is just diminished by the wind."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"The moon is rising, am I changing back?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango said nothing, only watched as the roots of Kagome's hair began to return to black, and the blackness grew to the tips. It was amazing to see this process in action, especially the change in Kagome's eyes, they began to grow darker and darker, until they were brown again. Her fingernails receded, and her ears disappeared. Her teeth regained their humanity. And soon, Kagome was back to her old self.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"You've CHANGED back." Sango finally answered Kagome's question.  
  
  
  
Kagome didn't really need her the answer anymore. She could feel it.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Ugh, I feel weak! This has got to be the strangest thing I have ever felt, just two days ago, I felt perfectly normal like this, and now, now I feel WEAK, my hearing feels pathetic, and I can't smell a thing. If I'm back, that means Inuyasha is human too, and he didn't know tonight was the new moon."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What a pleasant surprise for him." Sango added dryly.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"SOME FUCKING SURPISE!" came the brash voice of a very unhappy and very human Inuyasha.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome and Sango turned their heads in the direction the voice had came from, there was Inuyasha, but no Miroku.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Where is Miroku?!" Sango asked, worried.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Miroku?" a look of momentary confusion crossed Inuyasha's face.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"You know! Miroku! The perverted priest! The lecherous monk! The hentai! Houshi-sama!?", reminded Sango, growing irritated.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I know who he is bakka! I just forgot where I put him. I think he's a little ways back. When I turned human, I kind of broke into a run to get back here, you know how I don't feel safe in this state, and I kind of forgot him...oops."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"FORGOT HIM!?" demanded Sango, as she ran off to where Inuyasha had came from.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
After she watched Sango's form disappeared from view, Kagome turned to Inuyasha.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Just how far back DID you leave him?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh, not TOO far..."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha…" Kagome said scornfully.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Why didn't you tell me tonight was the new moon?" Inuyasha demanded, disregarding the missing monk.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I didn't know, Sango had to remind me."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oi, come here wench, I missed you." he said, his gaze softening, obviously forgiving her for not telling him that tonight was the night of the new moon.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome obeyed and was soon engulfed in Inuyasha's arms. He kissed the top of her head, and hugged her tight. Letting go, he stepped back and pulled something from his haori.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He handed her something red, bound together with a few strings.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome looked at him curiously and undid the ties, unfolding the article of red material, she found it to be a beautiful red Kimono with a few white flowers on it.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Thank you Inuyasha! Its beautiful!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh, I figured you needed one, its made from fire rat, like mine, its a lot better than that shitty material all your other clothes are made from."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Thank you! But where did you get it!?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I stopped at a place on our way back from getting the boomerang and staff."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh THANK YOU!" she said again, closing the distance between them and kissing him passionately.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
However, that was soon interrupted by a certain pervert.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Way to go Inuyasha!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"HENTAI!" Sango yelled at the monk, and then came the predicted noise of boomerang meets skull.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha and Kagome broke apart, both blushing.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sango and Miroku are back."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Ya think?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango walked up to the two.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Ahem, Miroku will be joining us in a second. I think I may have hit him a little TOO hard. I'm glad I have my boomerang back…" Sango petted her boomerang like it was a pet. 'Now, I need Kirara back, before this boomerang takes her place', thought Sango as she realized she was petting the boomerang.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Soon, Miroku joined them.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"You got me pretty bad that time Sango." he said, still rubbing his head.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"You would think you would learn your lesson."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku grinned lecherously.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sango! You call me a hentai, and hit me on the head when I be 'perverted', and yet YOU-"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Before he could finish, a blushing Sango grabbed his mouth, determined to not let him finish that sentence.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Calmly, she stated a not so subtle threat. "Miroku, If you ever want me to do THAT again, then you best never, ever, finish that sentence, or any others related to it."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku went pale, knowing full well that she would carry out that threat. "Very well then, let's go to Kaede's then."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku and Sango turned to where Inuyasha and Kagome had been standing, only to find them both gone.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Over here, you guys, come on!" called Kagome, as she walked in the direction of Kaede's with Inuyasha, who had his arm draped over her shoulders.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku and Sango hurried to catch up. Soon the two couples were side by side, on their way to Kaede's.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*******************************************************************************   
  
  
Stupid fucking computer...stupid keyboard..*growls in frustration*..ugh! My computer broke..it was brand new too..oops..Im on my brother's since mine is broken...which just hapens to have the WORST most crowded keyboard in the world! UGH ARRRRRRRRR...  
  
  
  
Anyway...there is a new policy for those of you who have a problem with my spelling. If you just CAN"T stand it, you can copy, and paste this, and correct it and email it to me, and I will repost the corrected version. If its THAT bad..  
  
*sighs*  
  
  
ANYWAY..new chapter..when? ..i dunno..soon..  
  
  
  
Favorite reviewers:Bubbles, Kaylana, robgirl, Sorensen, and Bunny. *sends them all..an Imaginary Kurt Cobain..*..ok..most of you probably don't know who that is..but..hey..*I* would like one..(for those of you who do not know, he is the lead singer of the grunge band Nirvana, he supposedly Killed himself in 1994, however, there are many conspiracys surrounding his death..)...anyway..here..in case you don't want him..*sends reviewers an imaginary Kagome's Grandfather*..have fun with HIM..  
  
  
Okay..Note to unsigned reviewer, when complaining about typos, do NOT, spell typos incorrectly, im not sure ifa I spelt it write, but I do know that it is not spelt "typeos"...anyway..bye 


	22. Possessive Nouns and Pronouns

Chapter?: Possessive Nouns and Pronouns  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
***********************************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The group had not gone too far before Inuyasha halted in his steps.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What's wrong Inuyasha?" Kagome looked at him curiously.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Something isn't right.." Inuyasha sniffed the air, to no avail of course, "Damn human senses.."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"How can you tell something's wrong if you can't smell anything?" Sango turned to Inuyasha carefully, wandering how he could sense anything if she couldn't.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh, I'm not HUMAN, well..I am right now, but I'm not completely senseless!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha, perhaps that is why you felt something was wrong?" Miroku suggested, pointing into the darkness.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
They all tried to contain themselves, really, they tried, but it was impossible not to burst into laughter.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Seshoumaru walked slowly through the trees, careful not to let Rin fall from his shoulders.  
'I bet I could find her a lot quicker if I had that damn feather she does...I wish *I* had a giant feather I could ride around on...' His thoughts drifted to what that experience would be like, flying through the air, on a big graceful feather, looking regal, almost majestic...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Without even thinking about it, he began to voice his thoughts aloud. "Rin, wouldn't you love to ride around on a big feather?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The girl on his shoulders sighed dreamily, almost at the same time as Seshoumaru..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Rin thinks Seshoumaru needs to kill Feather lady and steal hers.." the young girl suggested, not loosing the wistful quality to her voice.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'This girl gets smarter everyday...she's right..I could kill Kagura..' and once again his thoughts wandered to an image of himself looking majestic on a giant feather. And that is precisely why he didn't notice until it was too late.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh shit, Rin, be very quiet, and don't move." Seshoumaru tried his best to duck into the shadows, maybe they wouldn't notice, the half breed was on his time of the month..his senses barely rivaling those of a human's. Then, the half-breed just had to stop and look around. 'Stupid hanyou, why did you have to notice my presence...maybe he wont see me.'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
But then that blasted monk had to go and find him. 'Damn monk.he could at least wipe that stupid grin off his face, before I do it FOR him.'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
And then they all had to laugh at him. Just laugh at him for what seemed like forever.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hey, how are you Seshy? Did I remember to thank you for CARING SOO much for us HUMANS, and bringing us back to LIFE, because your such a CONSIDERATE, CARING, ALL AROUND GOOD GUY?" The Monks voice tempted him to grab the tree that he was trying to refrain from hitting his head against, as he might hurt Rin, and instead, hurl it at the monk.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
******************************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Watcha doing Seshy?" Inuyasha sounded way too full himself, for someone who was in their human form.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Seshoumaru walked up to the group. "Half breed, Understand that I can kill you, very easily with you in this form."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"But Seshy, what about the little child on your shoulders? you wouldn't do that in front of her virgin eyes, now would you?", The monk was grinning innocently, which was really infuriating Seshoumaru.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Instead of killing them all, Seshoumaru was side tracked by something else. He sniffed the air suspiciously, almost confused. When the air seemed to only farther confuse him, he walked cautiously up to Kagome, getting so close that it was obvious he was invading her personal space.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What the fucks are you doing SESSHY!" Inuyasha was between the two in a second.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Seshoumaru's face stayed of one of utter and complete perplex ion. Finally, he looked at his half brother.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"She's yours!" Astonishment was the only word that could even begin to describe the sound of Seshoumaru's voice.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha got a rather pleased look on his face, he grabbed hold of Kagome and tucked her under his arm protectively.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Damn Right she's mine." he stated proudly.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome giggled nervously, didn't they realize she was standing right THERE.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Um you guys..I'm right here. Hey, why are you so surprised, you're the one who's been calling me 'Inuyasha's mate'?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Everyone stared at Seshoumaru expectantly.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes..Why ARE you so surprised?" Sango's voice was full of genuine curiosity.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Humph, its not every day you find out your only living relative has chosen a mate!" he defended.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Why do you care?" Kagome didn't even think Seshoumaru would ADMIT to being related to Inuyasha.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The only answer Seshoumaru gave to that, was a small but audible 'humph'.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hey, why is she being so quiet?" Inuyasha's gaze was on the silent girl perched on Seshoumaru's shoulders." Last time we saw her we couldn't get her to shut up!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Now Seshoumaru's _expression changed to one of someone who has forgotten something of dire importance. "You may talk again Rin, but you still CAN'T move." His voice was back to being expressionless, barely stressing the word 'can't'.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"OH! RIN IS SOOOOOOOOO HAPPY FOR KAGOME-CHAN!! You and half breed finally got together!" The squeal of delight in her voice was almost painful.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome giggled, hearing a little girl call Inuyasha a half-breed..it was amusing.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Arigoto Rin-Chan, wait..'Finaly?'How would you know."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Rin only grinned at the confused girl. Sango and Miroku smiled knowingly at Rin, 'finally' was the only word for it.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hey Seshy, I bet there's something else that's changed about Kagome that you didn't notice, take another smell of her, and see if you can figure it out."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Slowly, Seshoumaru brought his nose near Kagome.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
"THATS CLOSE ENOUGH!" Inuyasha growled, which sounded kind of strange in his human form.  
He tightened his hold on her.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Seshoumaru sniffed at her again, inhaling her scent and analyzing it. 'What's different about it...he wasn't lieing..something ELSE has changed..She smells like...she smells like...a...a..HANYOU!' He immediately drew back, almost toppling Rin off his shoulders.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What the fuck did you do to her!" Seshoumaru had NO idea how you could turn a human into a hanyou..It was..Impossible..Wasn't it? 'Well..it SHOULD be impossible..'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha laughed a little at Seshoumaru's lack of understanding. "The Shikon jewel, it turned her hanyou, that's what she wished for."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh." Seshoumaru looked as if he were trying to process this information.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh," he repeated again, regaining his stoic _expression. "At least your not AS bad as our father, choosing a human, at LEAST she's a hanyou.... I will be leaving now."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha looked at his brother, was that supposed to be some kind of compliment? Before he could read anything from that expressionless face, Seshoumaru turned his back on them and made his way, slowly, back to his previous whereabouts.  
  
  
  
  
"BYE BYE!", Rin yelled joyously.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"...Congratulations.." It was said awkwardly, and muttered so quietly that Inuyasha had to strain to hear it..but, it was said, nonetheless, and by the time anyone had even realized that the voice had been Seshoumaru's, he was gone.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku looked to Sango, rather confused.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Choosing a mate is very important to youkai, it means a lot more than it does to us humans, when they choose, it is for eternity, and they can never back out of the decision unless one of them dies."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku nodded to show he understood, and was thankful that Sango's profession provided her with such an extensive knowledge of youkia.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Lets go." muttered Inuyasha, still a little confused from what Seshoumaru had said..Sure, Youkia valued choosing a mate very much, but this particular youkia had tried to kill him on multiple occasions.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome sensed Inuyasha's confusion. "Inuyasha, don't look a gift horse in the mouth."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
And so, the rest of the trip to Kaede's, was spent explaining that, no, no one had a horse, no, no one was getting a horse, and no, no one had saw any horses nor were they looking them in the mouths.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*******************************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
Shippo was out the door as soon as he smelt the familiar scent of Kagome, of course, it was mixed in with something else he didn't recognize.something that smelt foriegn.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He saw her walking up the trail with a big smile, and she was leaning on some guy with black hair! INUYASHA! Miroku and Sango were holding hands. WHAT all had happened while he was gone?  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Half way to Kagome, he immediately stopped in his tracks. He had smelt something..No..this couldn't be..they hadn't been away THAT long..He sniffed the air a few more times just to make sure his senses were not horribly messed up. He noticed Kagome and the others staring at him, probably wandering why he hadn't bounced into Kagome's arms. He knew what he must look like, standing there as he was, his face more than likely betraying his shocked and surprised emotions.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"KAGOME! YOUR INUYASHA'S!" That was all he could choke out, he could smell the mark Inuyasha had made, he could sense it, he may be young, but all youkia knew how to sense THAT, a complete IDIOT could sense that, even some humans. Kagome was marked as Inuyasha's, she didn't smell OF him though, which meant they hadn't done 'the adult thing'...yet.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*****************************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome watched as Shippo's face switched from downright giddiness at her return, to all out confusion as he stopped in his tracks. She thought she heard Inuyasha snort out a chuckle.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Any misconceptions as to what was bothering Shippo, were soon cleared up with the sound of his voice.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"KAGOME, YOUR INUYASHA'S!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'What am I? A piece of meat? Youkia sure are possessive...'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
she watched as Shippo's eyes went from big round saucers, to somewhat normal. He finally looked like he came to some sort of acceptance.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh well, its not MY problem that you've got bad taste, Kagome..at least your not with the hentia." The young kitsune reasoned as he finished his run to Kagome, and eyed Sango distastefully.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Shut up you little brat!" Inuyasha was about to pick him up by his tail and, more than likely throw him at Something, but his attempt was stopped as Kagome looked at him, she didn't say anything, she just gave him as simple glance, as if to say 'don't'.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome was surprised to see Inuyasha forget his previous attempt and put his gaze on something else. She hugged Shippo against her.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku once again looked to Sango for an explanation. It wasn't everyday the sometimes-annoying kitsune could get away with something like that.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango smiled and leaned over to whisper in Miroku's ear, "He is as much hers as she is his, they belong to each other, they have to listen to each other..." she placed a quick kiss on Miroku's cheek before she moved away from his face, blushing.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku draped his arm around her waste, for once, his hand being within inches of her butt, and still not groping it.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'MUST NOT TOUCH IT! MUST Not! But I want to.' His thoughts developed an almost whining tone as he tried his best to keep his hand off her ass..thankfully, before he could give in, the more logical side of his brain reasoned with him..'If I don't touch her now..I can touch her later!'..That perked him up somewhat and he managed to keep his hands from moving astray.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'Wow, he has finally learned some self control...I guess the other night seems to have held him over..I guess if I want him to stop groping me in public..we'll just have to do that more often.'..She blushed slightly for thinking that, and giggled girlishly.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I missed you so so MUCH KAGOME!! Please don't EVER leave me like that again!" whined Shippo.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I wont ever leave you that long again Shippo, I promise..Now lets get in and see Kaede, I'm sure Sango would like to see Kirara and change clothes...Kirara did come here didn't she?" Kagome was just beginning to notice her absence.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes yes, Kirara is here! But she's inside, she hurt her leg on the way here, tripped on some rocks, Kaede fixed her up though, she'll be fine, it's just sore."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome was almost afraid to ask just how Shippo knew all that..Kirara couldn't talk..so, if Shippo could understand her, was it just youkia that did? Full youkia, or could hanyou too? 'HEY! I'm a hanyou!' she remembered, 'I guess I can find out tomorrow, when I'm back out of this human form.'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"KIRARA! She was hurt? Are you sure she's okay!" without waiting for an answer, Sango ran towards the hut dragging Miroku with her.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Lets go Inuyasha..Make sure Sango doesn't kill anyone.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
So the three of them walked into the hut, Shippo in Kagome's arms, Kagome leaning into Inuyasha, who, despite the little kitsune, had a small smile on his face.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*****************************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hello Kaede-sama!", greeted Kagome, perkily.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Baba." Inuyasha muttered in acknowledgement.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"They're back!" explained Shippo from his nest in Kagome's arms, as if that weren't the obvious.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I can see that," she murmured to Shippo dryly, and then her eyes lit up in surprise.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kagome! Your aura, IT HAS CHANGED!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh yeah, we defeated Naroku, and I used the Shikon jewel to turn into a hanyou..It disappeared, so I guess it was purified." She waved her hand in the air dismissively, as if it happened everyday.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Shippo immediately jumped out of her arms.."H-h-hanyou? You're a half demon? Like Inuyasha?! Your not going to kill me are you?..You don't look hanyou?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Of course I'm not going to kill you Shippo-chan!" she smiled down at him with reassurance, "Its the new moon, so of course I'm human!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Where's Sango and the letch?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Right here." Sango said as she reentered the room carrying the bandaged Kirara, Miroku at her side.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kaede-Sama, where is my Kimono?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I think it is in that room there." she said, pointing to a room behind a closed door.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Great, now I can change out of these clothes."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I'll go with you!" Miroku added, Sango glared at him, Kirara hissed, "To help you find it of course.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku was somewhat surprised to here her nod her head, giving him permission, before muttering an almost silent, "Fine."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'Oh well..As Kagome said, don't look a gift horse in the mouth.'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
And the two of them left the room, leaving Sango behind on a small pillow, and shutting the door behind them. The group waited patiently for them to return, but, after about ten minutes, they assumed they were not looking for her Kimono anymore.Kaede raised an eyebrow.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"So, Sango and Miroku are together now I assume? As well as the two of you, your marked as Inuyasha's, what all happened while you were gone?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha sat down cross-legged, and pulled Kagome down into his lap. This of course surprised Kagome, but Kaede seemed to have no reaction at all to it, apparently this was normal for mates, so, with nothing better to do, Kagome relaxed in his hold, leaning her back into his chest and her head up under his chin. If she could have seen his face, she would have saw a large grin appear on it, as he wrapped his arms around her waste.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Shippo seated himself in Kagome's lap.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"So, I guess you want me to tell you the whole story?" asked Kagome, already knowing the answer and hating it.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kaede nodded.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
As much as she hated to retell the tale for what seemed like the millionth time, she did it anyway. Only interrupted by a few occasional 'unexplained' noises coming from behind the locked door.  
  
  
  
***************************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
By the time she had finished telling Kaede the story, she was fighting back sleep. Sango and Miroku had still not retuned, and, by now, she assumed they were asleep as well.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"So..YOU killed Naraku..you..Decapitated him?" Kaede was staring at Kagome, if she could have seen herself, she wouldn't have been happy to know that her jaw was practicaly touching the ground.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I always knew Kagome was the strong one!" Shippo grinned up at Kagome with admiration. Inuyasha glared at him, but did nothing.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yep..it was me...I hacked off his head..If you don't mind, I'd like to get some sleep, Kaede-Sama.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes, of course, I will be in that room there," she pointed to another door," If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Quietly, she left the room.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome rose from her spot in Inuyasha's lap, almost regretting doing so, she had felt so comfortable. Sitting down Shippo, she went to her backpack and took out her sleeping bag, unrolling it, she lay down on it and beckoned Inuyasha to join her.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha did just that, laying down behind her with one arm draped around her waste possessively. Soon, Shippo walked over to them and curled up next to Kagome's stomach as he was used to. Inuyasha looked displeased, but he still did nothing, only tightened his grip on Kagome, until she was as close to him as she could get. Burying his face in her neck, he snuggled even closer to her, if that was possible. Shippo, having already fallen asleep, yipped in protest as Kagome was drug away from him, but he soon was just as close to her as he had been.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'Great.we haven't even fucked yet and we've already gotten a fucking pup.'  
  
  
  
  
  
*********************************************  
  
  
I don't have much to say today, except thank you to Robgirl for proofreading the last chapter, and this one as well.Also, in response to her question..I think it was hers..'is M/S gonna turn hanyou..'..well..thats a surprise as to what happens with their mortalitly..but, nothing will be said about it for about 10 more chapters..so don't worry your pretty little heads.  
  
Also, thank you to Kaylana, for helping me with ideas.  
and to Sakura Angel for also proofreading, i used her proofread version for this chap because she left in all the *...*'s.  
  
Favorite reviewers:Kaylana, Bubbles, Robgirl, Bunny, Sorensen. *sends them all an imaginary group of Kagomes friend..you know..those girls who almost all look alike and follow Kagome around trying to get her to date hojo..*..here..have a hojo to *sends them all an imaginary hojo* Enjoy. NExt chapter-soon.   
  
*and, to `confuzzled`, since you asked nicely, you can have an imaginary Inuyasha *sends confuzzled an imaginary inuyasha*  
  
  
This is the new and improved proofread version.  
Oh, and, too Robgirl, and Sakura Angel, here is your full set of Inuyasha caste members, *sends Robgirl an imaginary Inuyasha, Kagome, Shippo, Myouga, Sango, Miroku, Seshoumaru, Kaede, Kikyou, Kouga, Mrs.Higurash, and Souta, Kirara, and Grandfather.* there, thats for the proofreading. 


	23. Something Important Left Forgotten

Chapter?: Something important left forgotten   
  
  
  
  
  
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Kagome's eyes slowly drifted open. She was at first worried to find the growingly familiar prescence of Inuyasha beside her was missing. Remembering just what she was now, she sniffed the air to find him. 'Thats odd, its like hes right beside me.'   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Her confusion was soon nonexistent as she felt someone touch her ear.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha had woken up before Kagome, instead of waking her, he had contented himself in only getting up and setting beside her head. Watching her sleep, he had found himself almost unable to resist touching her new dog ears. 'So this is why she always wants to touch them..'. At his tentative touch, her black tipped ear twitched slightly. He grinned somewhat evily.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Your hanyou again.", he informed when he felt her stir. He began to drag his fingers along her ear in a petting motion. He was very amused to find her making a soft, purring noise.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'Hey..that feels good...I wander if this is how dogs feel when you pet their ears...hey..whats that noise...am I..PURRING?'. She immediatly sat up, causing Shippo to move slightly. She looked at Inuyasha accussingly, he was grinning evily.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"HEY! you..made me..purr?", Her accusation was more of a question, just to make sure she hadn't been hearing things.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Is there anything wrong with that?", he continued to gin evily, "Your hanyou, half DOG demon, your gonna purr."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I..Purr now?...but you never purr..", After saying that, she knew that reasoning was ridiculous, Inuyasha never ran around hugging people and telling them they were their best friend either, but that didn't mean he didn't have the ability to.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh, of course I don't! But that doesn't mean I can't!", he crossed his arms acrossed his chest defiantly.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome got a sly grin on her face. She had never heard HIM purr..and she definately wanted to..Of course, she knew there was no way Inuyasha was going to let her touch his ears willingly, even if she WAS his mate.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha?", her voice was sickeningly sweet and innocent, TOO innocent.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What?", he demanded, he didn't much like that look she was giving him.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sit.", It was said so calmly and innocently you would have thought she had been telling him the news.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oi, Whench! Why the HELL did you do that for!", he was angry, obviously non to happy to be practicaly glued to the floor as he was.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome smiled at him, grinning much like Inuyasha had been doing earlier. Without warning, she pounced on him, knees digging into his back as she reached for his ears. "So I could do this...", she explained, as she began to pet his ears. The twitched under her hand, just as hers had earlier.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"WENCH! I'm gonna get you for this! You could of just asked! Being Sat doesn't exactly do wanders for my back ya know!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Like you would have let me...", she mumbled between giggles as she continued to pet his ears, to her great delight, instead of condemning her soul, or yelling profanities at her, he was purring. Kagome giggled again, but stopped immediatly as she heard the slight creak of a door being swung open behind her. 'Oh Kami-Sama, let that be Sango..."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Wow, Kagome I didn't know you were so DOMINATING, I guess I should come back later..but, Kagome, I am ashamed of you, doing such things in front of someone so young as Shippo...". A 'tsk tsk tsk' noise was hear, followed by laughter so silent it took Kagome's hanyou ears to hear it.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Instead of screaming Hentia, and slapping the perverted Monk, Kagome merely turned her head to stare at Miroku, and, in a sly, flat, dry voice, she posed a seemingly innocent question.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"So, did you find Sango's Kimono...YET?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She was at first surprised to see the monk blush, before a idiotic grin replaced it.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"No, I had better go look for it AGAIN..", he informed, implying much more.., before leaving the room, he turned and grinned at her again.."have fun with Inuyasha.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"HENTAI!", Kagome yelled at the closed door. She felt something shaking under her, and was reminded of just what she was sitting on. 'Why is he shaking..is he..laughing?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hentai!", She yanked on one of his ears before leaping off him.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Ow!", he sat up and grabbed one of her ears.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"OW!! THAT REALY REALY HURTS!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"YA THINK?! Now you know how I feel!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"sorry..", she grumbled. That realy had hurt, she had no idea doggy ears would be so..sensitive.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Shut up you bakkas! Some of us are TRYING to sleep!", The little Kitzune growled slightly as he closed his eyes again.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha looked at Kagome, pleadingly. To his great surprise, not to mention delight, she nodded her head in permission.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Without giving her time to change her mind, Inuyasha pounced on the Shippo. Grabbing him up by his tail and flinging him, not TOO roughly, against the wall.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"OWW..Ka-Go-ME!", whined the little pup.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome didn't like to see Shippo in pain, but, Inuyasha had been very good lately, and she HAD sat him, she needed to make it up to him, and besides, now being half youkai herself, she knew that being flung into a wall, even by Inuyasha, couldn't hurt TOO bad, especialy for a full youkai like Shippo.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Before she could give her apologies to Shippo, or tell Inuyasha to stop looking so full of himself, a loud crashing noise was heard in the other room, one that sounded a lot like a boomerang hitting a pervert.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"HENTAI!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"But Sango, I thought you liked that about me!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"HENTAI! *Bonk* HENTAI *Bonk* HENTAI!!!!!"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
And then, monkless, Sango walked calmly into the room.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kagome?, you may need to go get Kaede, I probably shouldn't have given him that last hit.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**************************************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
After finaly rousing the unconcious Miroku and eating breakfast, the group sat around in the small hut, Kagome still wearing her pink Kimono, and Sango finaly back into her beloved NORMAL clothes.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"So, Kagome, when do you plan to return to your original time? Your mother does not know of your change? Does she?", questioned the wise old women, better known as Kaede.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"My Mother?", Kagome gulped audibly..'Oh..my mother..hey mom, guess what! I'm a hanyou, and Inuyasha's mate for life....then again...she isn't exactly the most...normal..mother in the world..maybe I COULD just tell her that..'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Um..Kagome..you don't think your mom is going to hate me, do you?", Inuyasha sounded almost afraid as he glanced at his mate wearily.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"If SESHOUMARU can accept it, surely Kagome's mom can.", Reasured Sango, as she thought back to her   
very vivid, if not traumatic memories of Mrs.Higurashi, unknowingly, she shuddered.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes Kagome, I am sure Mrs. Higurashi will be fine with your change, do not worry.", Miroku put his arm around Sango's shoulders, as he noticed she was shuddering..'Poor Sango, she is probably just remembering that..demon car..'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I guess we should go and tell her, Inuyasha, do you mind if we leave right now?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I don't mind, if you want to go, lets go.", Inuyasha stood and waited on Kagome to follow suit.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'What? No 'sit'? Were just gonna go? Just like that?, I guess being mates realy DOES change things..' Somewhat shocked, Kagome rose from the floor and stood beside Inuyasha. She looked to her other two friends and Shippo.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Are you guys coming or not?", she asked somewhat impatiently.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango and Miroku's faces were those of pure horror. They both scooted back a few spaces, Miroku even pulled Sango closer protectively, Sango burried her face in Miroku's shoulder. Kirara hissed.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"N-N-NO! No..we can't go..um..the forest fires! We have to make sure there aren't any forest fires!", Miroku knew well and good that that excuse was getting old, and wasn't even believable in the first place...well..It DID work on people like Mrs.Higurashi..but..he knew Kagome and Inuyasha weren't that dense, still, it was the best he could come up with.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha and Kagome gave him a look that seemed to say..'Riiiiiiigggggggght', and then turned to Shippo, after getting the rather obvious hint that Sango and Miroku were NOT going.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"So, Shippo, do you have any forest fires to look after, or do you wanna come with us?", Kagome smiled sweetly at Shippo, but shot Sango and Miroku an accusing glare, of course, Sango couldn't see it, as she was still clinging to Miroku in fear.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I CAN GO? YAY! I NEVER GET TO GO! Of course I want to go Kagome!", Shippo jumped onto Kagome's shoulder with great enthusiasm, Inuyasha grabbed Kagome's backpack and slung it over his shoulder.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Goodbye Kaede-sama."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Goodbye child."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Baba."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
And, hand in hand, Inuyasha and Kagome, with Shippo on her shoulder, left the hut, on their way to the future.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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With the three gone, Sango finaly loosened her hold on Miroku.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"A-A-Are they g-g-gone yet...I don't want to get in another car demon.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku rubbed Sango's back soothingly, making sure not to let his hand travel too low.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"They're gone now...How do you think Kagome stands being in those car demon's..?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I don't know Miroku...I just don't know.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kaede looked at the two, not understanding what they were talking about,and not realy caring. After a while, she decided that the two were beginning to look as if they both wanted to 'find Sango's Kimono' again. 'And I have always thought that Miroku was the hentai..' With distaste for the both of them, she queitly left the room, taking Kirara with her.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
******************************************************************************************************  
Sorry for the shortness..anyway..  
  
Favorite Reviewers: Same as last chapter *sends them each a big imaginary bouquet of roses*  
  
Enjoy that..Im sorry it took so long to get this posted to..Ill poste again sometime tonight..hopefully.  
BYe BYe. 


	24. Wait till Mom Sees This!

chapter?: Wait Till' Mom Sees This!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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Kagome, Inuyasha, and Shippo had just passed through the well. Kagome sat on the edge, dangling her legs. Believe it or not, she was actualy nervous about telling her mom, not to mention Grandpa and Souta...Grandpa..She hoped he wouldn't use any scrolls or seals..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kagome, whats wrong?", The little kitsune on her shoulder asked, concerned.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Its nothing, I'm just a little afraid of what my mom's gonna say.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha put a reasuring arm on her shoulder not occupied by Shippo.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Don't worry Kagome, I think your BEAUTIFUL as a hanyou.", Shippo smiled proudly, glad he could reasure Kagome.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hey! I think your beautiful too!", Inuyasha wanted to be the one to reasure Kagome, she was HIS mate.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well, I think your more beautiful than Inuyasha does!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Nuh uh! I think your more beautiful!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"No, I think your more beautiful than ALL the people in the world!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I think your more beautiful than all the humans AND youkai in BOTH time periods.", Inuyasha smiled proudly, figuring he had won.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome grinned at them both, this was definately the kind of arguing between the two that she could get used to! Having been thoroughly reasured that yes, she was in fact beautiful, at least in their minds, she stood, grabbed Inuyasha's hand, and made her way out of the shrine, with a kitsune on her shoulder.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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Souta was looking out the window. He just KNEW Kagome would be back today, there was an important test at her school today, he knew that cause he had looked at her calendar. Today's date had been marked with a big red circle with the words 'important test, can't miss' inside it. He watched impatiently, hoping that Kagome would bring Inu-no-oniichan.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'She better hurry! Shes already late!'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Then, Souta saw something emerge from the well house.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"HEy! Theres Inu-no-oniichan! Hey..who is he with? Is that..Is that onee-chan?'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
It didn't look much like Kagome..Kagome had black hair, and brown eyes, and Kagome DID NOT have dog ears! But, who else would Inu-no-oniichan be with? Souta tried to imagine the girl with black hair, instead of white, and brown eyes instead of amber. Blocking out the ears, and replacing the pink kimono with the usual school uniform, Souta all but fainted when he discovered that this..thing, looked a WHOLE lot like his sister.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'THAT *IS* KAGOME! Something tells me she isn't here to take that test either!'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM", Souta yelled for his mother, wait till she heard about this.  
  
  
  
  
  
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With her hanyou hearing, Souta's yell was almost painful for Kagome. Inuyasha saw her flinch and put his arm around her.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Souta saw us.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Ya think?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Don't worry Kagome, I'll beat em' um for ya'!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sorry Shippo, but, Souta's my brother, I don't think my mom would be to happy with that."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Putting on a brave face, Kagome entered the house, with her mate and Shippo.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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"Onee-chan! What happened to you!", Souta stood staring at his sister, who had just entered the house.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Wheres mom?" Kagome ignored her little brother's question, she didn't want to have to explain this more than once.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I yelled for her, she should be here soon..can I touch your ears? Hey? Who's that on your shoulder?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Thats Shippo, and no, you can't touch my ears."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Whats a shippo??"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Shippo," Kagome brought the kit into her arms protectively, "is a young Kitsune from Inuyasha's time."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Our time..", Inuyasha corrected.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Thats right, hes from me and Inuyasha's time..our time.", It felt strange saying it like that, but he was right..It was her time now, it was their time.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Does it talk? Why doesn't it have ears like you and Inu-no-oniichan? Its got a furry tail though!", Souta seemed far more interested in Shippo than his sisters change in time period.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Shippo jumped out of Kagome's arms indignantely and looked Souta in the eye.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I can talk just as good as you can! And I don't need ears! I can hear better than you, I'm a FULL youkai!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Wow! I like your tail, but your still not as cool as Inu-no-oniichan... Wanna go play video games?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"V-id-e-o games? Whats that?", Shippo was beginning to take interest in Kagome's brother, afterall, he had to be pretty great if he was related to Kagome.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Come'on and I'll show you!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Shippo looked to Kagome for permission, she nodded to him, smiling.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Having gained permission, Shippo ran off with the other boy enthusiasticaly, to play video games.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Before leaving the room, Souta glanced menacingly at his sister.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Mom! Come take a look at Onee-chan!", he yelled, before he dashed out of the room with Shippo.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome glanced at Inuyasha. He looked rather nervous.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"It's gonna be alright Inuyasha, no one's gonna hate you!, I promise, Jii-chan might throw some seals or scrolls at you, but hes done that before."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
No sooner had she said that, then Mrs.Higurashi walked into the room smiling.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What is it Sou-Oh MI! Kagome! What happened to you! You have ears!", without waiting for her daughter to reply, Mrs.Higurashi ran up to her and touched her ears, just as she had done to Inuyasha upon meeting him.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hey mom.." She nudged Inuyasha.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hello Kagome's mother..", he mumbled.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Mrs.Higurashi stepped back. "Kagome, your hair, your eyes! Your EARS! Why, You've even got claws! What happened?...you do look SO lovely in that pink Kimono..."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Umm..well...ya'see..Um..I'm a hanyou now mom..I used the completed Shickon Jewel to wish for it..what'da'ya think?", It was clear she was rather nervous, as she was almost rambling.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh sweety! You look lovely!..But, I don't think you can go to school like that.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Umm..yeah..thats the thing..", She didn't realize it, but she was actualy shaking, Inuyasha brought her closer, "Umm..I think I'm gonna live in the past now, with Inuyasha..I'm kinda his mate now...", She looked at the floor, scared to meet her mothers eyes.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"OH SWEETY! THATS WANDERFUL! You and doggy boy are finaly together! And now you can be with him forever! Hey! When you live untill this time!, you can come visit me, of course..that might upset the balance of time..maybe you shouldn't do that..but! Oh, my little baby's all grown up!", With that, Mrs.Higurashi glomped Inuyasha and Kagome into a big motherly hug.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Mrs. Higurashi backed away from them, with the biggest smile on her face. "Are you going to have a wedding? No..I don't suppose you would, they don't have those in the past do they? You could have your little monk friend do something like that for you..or wait! We could have a modern day wedding!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha began to get scared, he did NOT want to have a modern day wedding, not that he knew what it was, but most things in the modern day were not pleasant.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Um..Mom?..", Kagome pointed to her dog ears, "I don't think these would go over to well at a wedding." She saw her mother look almost crestfallen, well, crest fallen for a usualy overly happy person, "But, if you'd like, we could have a small party here and invite some CLOSE relatives...it'd have to be at night though, on the night of the full moon, we're both human, then.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Mrs.Higurashi's face lit back up, "A party would be FUN! We can invite our family, and some of your friends from school!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome grimaced, she didn't want to see her friends from school, or her other relatives realy, she hardly knew them, but, if it would make her mom happy, she owed it to her. Afterall, she had went off, turned herself into a demon, and bound herself to a hanyou for life, dropped out of school, and switched time periods, without so much as asking her mother.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha did NOT want to go to a party, especialy not one with Kagome's wierd skoool friends, but, she was his mate now, and if she wanted to do that, he would deal with it, for her. He tried his best to keep his face free from a snarl, he worked at keeping it blank, trying to copy Sesshoumaru's usual expression.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Right mom, we can, but the next full moon is almost a whole month away, so, untill then, I'll be in my new time period, with Inuyasha, I just came her to tell you and Souta and Jii-chan, and maybe take a warm bath, I thought we might spend the night here.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh, WANDERFUL, WANDERFUL!, Souta already knows doesn't he? You haven't told Jii-chan yet have you? No, of course not, you just got here! Hold on a second, I'll go get him and explain your new situation!", And then, Mrs. Higurashi and all her perkiness, had left the room.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kagome..do we HAVE to go to this party?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes, I'm sorry Inuyasha, but we do owe her that...You know, I've never noticed the way my mother smells, or Souta for that matter, does everyone have such distict smells about them, Inuyasha?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He grinned at her, "Of course they do, everyone has their own scent!" He took a sniff at Kagome and grinned, "Yours is my favorite though.", teasingly he rubbed her ear.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hey, stop that!"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha stopped, chuckling slightly.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Jii-chan is coming, I can smell a scent thats not Souta's or mom's, so that must be him, and hes almost here."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
As if to prove Kagome right, her grandfather entered the room, carrying a basket of supposedly sacred scrolls and such. He began throwing them at them.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Stoppit Jii-chan! We aren't cursed, or Possessed!"  
  
  
  
"Hmmph.", He glared defensively at Inuyasha and Kagome, but seeing the hurt look on his grandaughters face, his expression softened. "You look beautiful Kagome, and I can't think of anyone better you could have chosen for a husband..err..mate."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuasha smiled proudly, and brought Kagome in front of himself, holding her shoulders possessively.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"How would you too like some dinner?, your mom's already began cooking it"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Its dinner time already?", asked Kagome, surprised at how fast time flew by.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Almost."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Will there be Ramen?", Inuyasha asked, failing miserably at trying to sound indifferent.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Anything for my son-in-law!..are you sure you don't need any scrolls, or seals?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome turned around and fingered the Rosary around Inuyasha's neck meaningfully, "No, this is all I need.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
On their way to the kitchen, a loud, joyous scream was heard throughout the household, so loud, that Inuyasha and Kagome both covered their ears.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"OHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! KAAAAAAAAAAAAAWAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I think mom just discovered Shippo..", guessed Kagome.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Shippo?", Jii-chan looked at his grand daughter confused..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"How about I explain everything later, over dinner?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"AFTER Ramen..", added Inuyasha.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well, alright.."  
  
  
  
  
*********************************Almost 500 years in the past***********************  
  
  
  
Sango, and Miroku sat around the hut, doing nothing. They had already found Sango's kimono twice that day, and weren't queit ready to find it again.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Soo..how do you think its going with Kagome and them?", Sango asked, for lack of anything better to say.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I'm sure it is going fine...you don't want to find your kimono again?, do you?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango glared at Miroku, "No.", she stated firmly..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sorry for asking, I was just bored, and theres nothing else to do.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Before Sango could bonk Miroku on the head with her boomerang, Kaede entered the room with a big basket full of herbs.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Who wants to help me grind these into tiny little peices, and then sort them into groups by color, smell, taste, purpous, and texture?", asked the old women with almost enthusiasm.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Umm..Miroku, come on, I think I saw another one of my Kimono's in that room over there..", Sango said hastily, and then grabbed Miroku's arm and ran to the aformentioned room, shutting the door behind her.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Left alone, Kaede began to grind up her herbs, happily, as this was something she loved to do. 'Hentais, and just look what their missing out on.."  
  
  
  
  
*******************************************************************************************  
  
Theres another chapter, If I don't get one out tommorow, its cuz im sick, fever and all, so sorry..Why does Kaede like grinding herbs? I dunno, I guess shes just wierd that way.  
  
Please review! Favorite reviewers are:Bubbles, kaylana, Bunny, Sorensen, Lyndz, Robgirl, *sends them all some jewel shards*  
  
  
  
  
By the way, I'm sorry if this chapter was dissapoint...I TRIED to make it funny..but i don't think I did to good a job...oh well..sorry.. 


	25. The Kawaiiness of Shippo

Chapter?: The Kawaiiness of Shippo  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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Kagome entered the kitchen with Inuyasha and her grandfather. Her mother was at the stove, cooking a large quantity of Ramen, obviously remembering what Inuyasha liked. Shippo sat perched on Mrs.Higurashi's shoulder, while Souta waited at the table, rather impatiently.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Onee-chan, Shippo is afraid of all my video games, and the T.V, and the light switch.", Souta looked to his sister for comfort.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Shipppo, none of the things Souta shows you can hurt you.", At the sound of Kagome's voice, Shippo leaped from Mrs.Higurashi, to his usual perch on Kagome.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"OH SWEETY! You didn't tell me you brought another friend with you this time! Souta showed it to me! Its got such a KAWAII little tail! IT IS JUST SOOOOOOOOO Kawaii!!", Mrs.Higurashi exclaimed, as she carried two steaming bowls of Ramen to the table.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'RAMEN! theres some ramen...I want to eat the ramen..Would kagome be mad if I ate the ramen now?' Inuyasha tried his very best to not leap onto the bowls of ramen and devour them whole.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome saw Inuyasha's excited expression, and she saw him looking longingly at the ramen. "Inuyasha, no, just wait! We will eat soon!", she whispered it so that only he would hear. She like being able to say things to him without anyone else hearing, it was a definite advantage of being hanyou.She grabbed hold of his arm, for extra restraint.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Alright Alright, I'll wait!", he practicaly growled out stubbornly.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Good."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome's grandfather sat down at the table beside Souta, watching a seemingly silent conversation take part between his   
grandaughter and the hanyou. He could tell they were discussing something, Kagome's lips moved ever so silently, though her face was stern. The hanyou seemed defensive, but he did catch a few of his words..something about waiting. By the way the hanyou was looking at the ramen, he could only assume that it had something to do with it.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Why don't you two sit down?" he suggested.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Um, I think it would be best if Inuyasha stayed a safe distance away from the ramen, untill everyone is ready to eat...", Kagome explained.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yeah Inuyasha would eat the whole thing!", Shippo added, hoping to agitate Inuyasha.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh.", Inuyasha removed his arm from Kagome's grip and crossed his arms over his chest defensively. He knew he hadn't said much since he got here, but the truth was, he was beyond nervous. This was Kagome's family, and Kagome was now his mate, and that made this almost his family. It was realy important to him that they accepted him, and liked him. He was pretty sure that throwing Shippo into a wall would not help them with that, so he ignored the comment from him. He didn't want to mess anything up by saying something wrong, and he knew just as well as anyone, that he was realy good at saying the wrong thing.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Don't worry everyone! The rest of the ramen is almost done! In fact, I think it just finished! Souta, can you come and help me carry it to the table?", Mrs.Higurashi turned cheerifuly to look at her son.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"um..sure mom..", Souta got up and helped his mother carry the ramen to the table.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'hmm..thats enough ramen for everyone..I get to eat now..don't I?', Inuyasha looked to Kagome for approval.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Come on Inuyasha, we can si-", catching herself before she accidently said 'the word', she rephrased her sentence, much to Inuyasha's relief, "We can eat now."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
So they all sat down to eat, Inuyasha beside Kagome, Kagome beside her mother, her mother beside Souta, and Souta beside Jii-chan. Shippo, of course, sat in Kagome's lap. Kagome placed a bowl of ramen on the floor and sat Shipp down to eat it there, as he was far from being big enough to eat at the table.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"So, sweety, Souta tells me that you didn't even explain to him about why you look so different! Can I tell him? PLEASE! I know I got to tell jii-chan, but still! PLEASE Kagome? Can I!?", Mrs.Higurashi looked like a small child begging for some candy..actualy, she looked like a certain little kitsune begging for candy.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Umm, sure mom, of course you can!", she relied with exagerated happiness, and then in a hanyou whisper, she added to Inuyasha, "if it makes you that freakin happy."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha smirked slightly, feeling a little more comfortable.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"OH YAY! Thank you sweety! Okay! You know that jewel Kagome has been trying to complete?", she paused, waiting on Souta to nod, "Well, they finaly completed it! Yes! My little baby completed the jewel! And she killed an evil demon!", Mrs.Higurashi beamed with motherly pride," Well, like Kagome has said before, when you complete this jewel you can make a wish! So she wished to be a hanyou! And know her and Inuyasha are mates! Isn't that terrific!", Mrs.Higurashi smiled brightly.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Onee-chan, didn't you say that it could only make demons stronger?", Souta asked, confused, and a bit more rational than his mother.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes, but, I figured, that, if it could make Inuyasha a full demon, and he is a half demon, that it has the power to make a human into a half demon.", Kagome explained and took a bite of ramen.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"But, isn't it true that no good can come from a wish on the Shikon No Tama? According to what limited information you have told me, shouldn't it have made you turn evil or something?", Jii-chan asked, remembering what he had heard.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Not if its a pure wish, and, apparently, mine was, I didn't wish it so that I could be stronger, or kill easier, I didn't wish it for what the four souls considered selfish reasons..I did it so that I could be with the one I love..and, obviouslythey thought that was pure enough..", a faint blush had made itself visable on Kagome's face, more than likely from relating her love for Inuyasha.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh..", breathed Jii-chan and Souta in unision, Mrs.Higurashi just continued to smile, Shippo and Inuyasha ate their ramen heartily, seemingly oblivious to the conversation going on.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I'm just SOO happy for you sweety! You have lived your own little fairy tale!", Mrs. Higurashi exclaimed joyously.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'I wander what exactly SHE hears when I tell her about how I almost get killed by demons..of course, that does happen frequently..my mother is sure optimistic..', Kagome thought as she smiled at her mother.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Souta and Jii-chan seemed satisfied enough with Kagome's explanation and had began to eat much like Inuyasha and Shippo, except more polite.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Now Kagome, do tell me about this kawaii little kiddy you brought with you this time!", Mrs. Higurashi glanced girlishly at the kitsune gobbling up the ramen, "My! He sure can eat!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh, thats just Shippo, hes a kitsune, hes part of our group, actualy, hes been around us even longer than Sango and Miroku, now that I think about it, I'm kind of like a mother to him.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Shippo smiled up at Kagome, taking a break from the bowl of Ramen..'Yay, Kagome loves me!'..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hey Shippo, do a trick for my mom! Change into something, or someone.", Kagome suggested, realizing how much her mother would probably love to see it.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Alright Kagome!", After finaly deciding on something, Shippo turned into Kaede, of course, this Kaede had a small bushy tail..but it still looked like Kaede.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kaede? You picked Kaede?", Kagome questioned, somewhat surprised to see the form of the old miko standing so close to her.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"OW WOW! THATS AMAZING!!! You are just SOOOOO Kawai!", Mrs.Higurashi exclaimed.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'I hope shes talking about Shippo and not Kaede..'. Kagome mused.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Thats pretty cool Shippo, can you turn into anything?", Souta asked, interested, while Jii-chan looked as if he were about to have a heart attack.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yep! I can turn into anything!,", came the voice of Kaede from Shippo.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Finaly, Inuyasha looked up from his now empty bowl, and looked to see what all the fuss was about..'Kaede? What the hell is she doing here..oh wait, Kaede doesn't have a tail..must be Shippo..'. Suddenly, he got an idea.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hey Shippo, do me a favor, could you please say 'Inuyasha, you are the greatest, most talented creature in the world, and I bow at your feet, as I am just an ugly old women?'", asked Inuyasha somewhat timidly, as he glanced at Kagome in hopes of not seeing any disapproval. Thankfully, Kagome's eyes only glowed with amusement.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Why should I do a favor for YOU Inuyasha?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh, come on Shippo-chan, do it for me!", Kagome pleaded.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"okay..I'll do it for you Kagome..."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
All eyes were on Shippo, waiting for the form of Kaede to say those words..Shippo sighed.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha, you are the greatest, most talented creature in the world, I bow at your feet, as I am just an ugly old women."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha almost choked as he tried to contain his laughter, of course, the sight of Kaede speaking of her inferiority to the great Inuyasha, was just too much for him, not to mention Kagome. They both died out laughing, Mrs.Higurashi even joined in the laughter, even though she didn't get it, but she was just the kind of person to laugh when other people are laughing.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Souta and Jii-chan looked confused, but then went back to their ramen, assuming that they would just rather NOT know.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Shippo changed back to his regular old kawai self, and continued to eat his ramen.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Wow, he is just soo Kawaaiii! Kagome? Can I keep him!?", Mrs.Higurashi asked, as Shippo got a look of pure horror and almost choked on his ramen.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Umm..sorry mom..but, no..you can't keep Shippo..", She sweat dropped, and Inuyasha lost the hopeful look in his eyes.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh well...", Mrs.Higurashi looked momentarily sad, and then went back to being eerily happy, "Oh, Sweety! I just love your hair that color! And your ears are just adorible!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Thanks mom.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
And so the dinner went on, Inuyasha sat patiently, well patient for him, having finished his ramen, as Kagome politely ate her own, as well as the rest of the people who had not yet finished. Little conversation was had, most of it concerning the kawainess of Shippo.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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"Well mom, since dinners done, you don't mind if I go take a bath, do you?", Kagome asked as she stood from her place at the table.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"OF COURSE NOT SWEETY! You may live with doggy boy now, but this will always be your home!", Mrs.Higurashi exclaimed, as always, enthusiasticaly.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Great..umm..Inuyasha, try to stay out of trouble while I'm busy, hand me my backpack."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"feh, I wont get in any trouble! I left you bag by the door.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Great, I wont be long..Um..will you be ok Shippo?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Shippo eyed Mrs.Higurashi somewhat wearily.."I'll be fine Kagome....", and then whispering as Kagome had earlier with Inuyasha, he added, "as long as your mom doesn't hug me to death.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Good.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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Kagome left Inuyasha and her family to go retrieve her bag. Grabbing it, she ran up to the bathroom and locked the door. She pulled the fire rat Kimono Inuyasha had given her out of her bag and placed it beside her towel. Removing her kimono, she slipped into the bath tub and turned on the warm water. She tried to hear what Inuyasha was doing, oddly enough, she didn't hear his voice along with the rest of her family. She did hear them though, her mother telling everyone how great her little girl's change was, and going on and on about how kawaii Shippo was..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She sniffed the air, getting better at being able to judge distance by just a scent. She tried to smell Inuyasha over the scent of strawberry bubble bath and clean water, not to mention the smell of vanilla air freshener. The smell of all those scents together was not very pleasant, although, without her hanyou senses, she would have never noticed anything but the strawberry bubble bath. Finaly, she placed Inuyasha's scent, which was surprisingly close.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha?", she called out queitly, not quiet trusting her senses yet, and needing proof.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
After a moment of silence, Inuyasha finaly answered, "What? Your getting better at the scent thing ya know it?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She relaxed back into the water, "What are you doing?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"leaning against the door.", he answered nonchalantly.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh...why?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Be glad you locked the door or I'd be in there...", he paused, and then, somewhat reluctantly answered her question..  
"I didn't want to be left alone with your family..."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Whats wrong with my family?!", she asked defensively, "At least my family isn't Seshoumaru!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He sighed."Its not that Kagome, I just don't want to say something wrong. I don't want them to hate me, we BOTH know I never say the right thing.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha, Jii-chan accepts you, your Souta's hero, and my mother, well..my mother is my mother and we both now that she would accept you, even if YOU WERE Seshoumaru...as it is, she doesn't just accept you, she adores you and thinks your just as kawai as Shippo", Kagome comforted, dipping her head into the water to wash her hair, emerging her head from the water, she continued, "Speaking of Shippo, I can't believe you left him alone with my mother...she REALY MIGHT hug him to death.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh...he could always turn into Kaede-baba, NO ONE would hug him then.", snorted Inuyasha from outside the door, regaining some of his..inuyashaness.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome giggled at the idea of her mother hugging Kaede.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"But..if ya want me to, I'll go and make sure Shippo stays alive.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Thanks Inuyasha.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Soon she heard his almost silent footsteps, and she smelt his scent diminish.  
Trying to relax, and block out all the voices coming from the kitchen, mostly consisting of the word Kawai  
squeled excitedly, used in reference to Shippo, and of course, by her mother,   
Kagome continued with her bath.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
***  
  
Kagome's bath lasted much longer than she had expected, as almost thirty minutes had went by by the time she got out. It had just been so relaxing and the water so soothing, everything was so perfectly wanderful, except of course all the wanderful smells mixing together to create such an awful one..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She put on the red fire rat Kimono, happy to find that it was just as soft as Inuyasha's haori. Looking in the mirror, she realized it was also very beautiful, small white flowers were placed randomly on the upper half. She grabbed a brush and began to brush her long white hair straight, for the first time realizing that, not only had turning hanyou changed  
the color, but had given it a few extra inches in length as well. After some considering, she decided to leave it down the way she used to before her change, instead of putting it in a pony tail as she had been lately.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Satisfied, she unlocked the door and went to find her family.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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Entering the living room, she was relieved to find Shippo still alive, and Inuyasha sitting calmly on the couch, although looking very uncomfortable. Shippo was sitting barely 3 feet away from the T.V with Souta, obviously amazed at the little people inside the box. Mrs.Higurashi was sitting down by Inuyasha, ever so often reaching over and touching his ears, and Jii-chan sat reading in a chair.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Catching Kagome's scent, relief immediatly flooded Inuyasha, and he turned to see her enter the room, wearing the red fire rat Kimono he had found for her, she had also left her hair down. 'She looks so beautiful..'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"OH SWEETY! YOU LOOK SOOOOO LOVELY IN THAT KIMONO! I'M SOOOO HAPPY YOU GOT ANOTHER ONE!, and this one is even more beautiful than the last one!", Mrs.Higurashi exclaimed as she noticed her daughter standing in the doorway.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Umm..thanks mom..", she muttered, noticing Inuyasha staring at her strangely..'why is he looking at me like that?',"Um..Inuyasha? Is something wrong?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Startled, Inuyasha realized he had been staring.."Feh..", he grumbled, then mumbled almost silently, "I can't help it that your so damn beautiful..", momentarily forgetting she could hear him queit well with her hanyou ears..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome was at first startled to hear him say that, and then she realized he hadn't even meant for her to hear. She giggled.  
  
  
  
Inuyasha heard her giggling and wandered what could be so funny..'Oh..yeah..she's hanyou, she probably heard me..oops..", "Damn hanyou hearing..", he grumbled, making Kagome giggle even more.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Mrs.Higurashi had no idea why her daughter was giggling, but she didn't care, so she just smiled, "Kagome! please come sit down and join us!"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome made her way over to her mother, intending to sit beside her, however, those thoughts were soon forgotten as she found herself in Inuyasha's lap. She looked at him questioningly. He shrugged, and whispered to her, "There is no way in hell I'm letting your mother sit between us, she keeps touching my fucking ears, maybe with you here she'll touch yours instead.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome giggled at Inuyasha's reasoning, but found it to be queit accurate when her mother began to touch her ears. Not minding too much, she leaned into her hand and made a soft purring noise. Inuyasha smirked and put his arms around Kagome's waist, drawing her closer to him.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
So they sat that way, watching T.V, Kagome purring ever so softly, thankfully so softly that Mrs.Higurashi didn't notice, because, had she noticed that her daughter was purring, well, we don't even want to think what would happen then. And the day passed, no meaningful or significant conversations being had, only non-important chatter, and of course, more ramen was ate for supper, and eventualy, night fell, and it was soon time to go to bed.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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"Kagome, I'm getting tired, I'm gonna sleep in Souta's room if thats okay with you..". Shippo informed, giving Kagome his   
cutest look.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sure, thats fine Shippo-chan, Mom and Jii-chan already went to bed, Souta, you need to go to sleep as well."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Fine onee-chan...",agreed Souta, knowing he was lucky that Kagome had let him stay up this late, two hours past his regular bed time.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Goodnight Souta, Goodnight Shippo.", Kagome patted the little kitsune on the head as he hugged her leg and then left with Souta.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha?", Kagome started, turning to look at the aformentioned hanyou, "I'm actualy kind of sleepy too, do you mind if we go to bed now..?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh, your hanyou but you still want to sleep all the time.", he complained, but began walking to Kagome's room anyway.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome realy was queit sleepy, she walked rather drowsily to her room, and basicaly colapsed on her bed. Inuyasha smirked and arranged her body more comfortably, with her legs actualy ON the bed. He pulled the covers up over her and then lay down with her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her body closer to his own.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha..you were right about the smells here, the air stinks here, it smells like...filth..", she informed, fighting to stay awake just so she could relate this news to him.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I'm always right."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Of course you are Inuyasha..", she replied dryly, before relaxing with the intent of falling asleep.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha lay there a while, just breathing in the scent of her, untill he realized something was different about her scent. Slightly, but unmistakably different..Something almost..enticing? Inhaling again, he realized what it was. He grinned.  
'Should I tell her? She'll probably sit me and break her bed if I do..then again, the look on her face would be worth it,  
shit, I can't even see her face right now...should I tell her? Shes my mate, I can tell her whatever I want to!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hey Kagome?", he smirked evily.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"uh huh?", she answered groggily.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Your in heat."  
  
  
  
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MAUAHAHHAHAHA *Laughs very very insanely*, I changed the rating of this fic NOT because i am going to write a lime or a lemon or anything sour, I REPEAT, I WILL NOT WRITE A LEMON OR LIME! I AM A GOOD GIRL! HENTAIS! I only changed it because the rules said that if it was pg 13 you could only say 'fuck' once, but, I kinda exceeded that limit. So I changed it. Is that a cliffhanger? I think so..Is Kagome gonna kill Inuyasha? Well, I know, but you don't...Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter..*snickers*...  
  
  
Okay, favorite reviewers:Kaylana, Bunny, Sorensen, robgirl, and confuzzled, *sends them all an imaginary time traveling well*, Bubbles is absent from the list, as she has not reviewed in so long..i know I know..the picture DOES keep encouraging me, but, don't worry, as soon as you review again youll be back on the list *sends imaginary pat on the back*  
  
  
Okay, okay, once again, I repeat myself, I DO NOT write Lemons, or Limes, or anything sour!!  
  
  
  
Okie, bye bye, sorry it took me so long to get this out, but ive been sooooooo sick, i actualy felt decent today, so here it is...and by the way, id be realy realy thankful if someone would proofread this and send me the proofread version..thanks.bye..bye 


	26. Fainting and a Sit or Two Are Worth It I...

Chapter?: Fainting and a Sit or Two are Worth It in the End  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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Kagome had almost fallen asleep already, she was that tired..But then Inuyasha had said something..What did he say..'oh yeah..he just said my name..I guess I better answer him...but..so..sleepy..'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
To tired to say anything else, she grumbled out something just to let him know she had heard him.."Uh huh.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'Am I imagining things..or can I feel him grinning into my hair..?'..He didn't say anything for a minute, and she almost fell asleep..but when he DID say something, she was brought wide awake..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Your in heat.", and, as he said it, his hand ventured down to somewhere even Miroku would be ashamed of.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'what did he just say? WHAT IS HE DOING!'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"EEEEEEEEEEEEPPPP!!!", Kagome leaped out of her bed, landing halfway across the room, still not accustomed to how far she could jump as a hanyou, she landed on her desk. Obviously deciding that was as good a place as any, she stayed put, leaning her back into the wall behind her, her feet accidently knocking off a folder or two.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha had expected expected a number of things, but, a practicaly cringing Kagome on top of a desk was not one of them..sure..he didn't expect her to yell 'TAKE ME, TAKE ME NOW!'...as much as he would have prefered THAT particular reaction... he had known she would be shocked, and probably a little angry..but..well, she was kind of over doing it.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I'm in..I'm in..W-W-WHAT!", It was quiet clear that Kagome had NOT been expecting that.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha grinned, obviously deciding he was pleased with the result that had brought, he rolled over onto his back and put his arms behind his head, looking very very full of himself.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Surely I don't have to explain what being in heat means..do I?", Inuyasha KNEW he was just asking for a 'sit', but he couldn't resist.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
No..I..um..know what that means..ugh! SI-", Instead of saying 'it' she was silenced by Inuyasha shaking his head. "Why are you shaking your head?! You think THAT will stop me from saying 'the word'?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"You wouldn't want to break your bed would you.?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome looked thoughtful..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha brought the hand that had went..ahem..'somewhere'..to his nose and sniffed it. "Yep, your DEFINATELY going into heat!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"SIT SIT SIT!", Obviously, after that last comment, her bed was no longer one of her top priorities..killing her mate was.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Of course, since Inuyasha was already laying down, the only thing the 'sits' did was bring him down into the bed roughly, which proved to only make him bounce back up.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hey..that was kind of fun.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"UGH!!", Kagoem sat down on the floor, putting her head in her hands. She had no idea what she was supposed to think..'I'm in heat?...like a dog? Well..of course like a dog...I'm a DOG youkia..well..What does this mean!?..UGH!..and the only person I'm going to get any information about this on, just happens to be the most stubborn, full of himself, jerk around...UGH!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha laughed at his mate, "yep..this was definately worth the sits..actualy..the sits were kinda fun..'. Knowing that he should probably take Kagome out of her misery, he decided he should probably stop acting like a jerk and explain this to her.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"OK, Kagome, come here."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She raised her head and looked at him coldly, "Why should I?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Because your my mate and I said so!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Right now, thats not a very convincing reason."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Fine then, I guess your gonna just have to figure this out on your own.", he knew that would get her, there was no way that Kagome would want to experience something like this not knowing anything about it.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Just as he had predicted, Kagome sighed reluctantly and walked over to her bed, of course, she did not get too close to Inuyasha, opting to just sit indian style near the edge.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Alright, fine, I'm here, now tell me about it.", It became evident to Inuyasha now, that she was blushing.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Why are you blushing?", he asked, genuinly curious.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inu-ya-sha!", She was now blushing an even deeper red..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Don't be embarassed..okay..what DO you know about being in heat?", Inuyasha asked, scooting closer.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I..um..its like a period for dogs.its.....I used to have a dog, and..it went into heat..I think..twice a year..for about two weeks each time?", It was painfully clear that Kagome was very very embarrased and not much liking this little discussion.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'What the hell is a 'period'? It must be what future girls call their cycle..'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Right Kagome, okay, for full youkia, it only lasts 7 days, since, they are dog demons, but, not actualy dogs, for hanyou, it lasts about 3 days, and full youkia go into it four times a year, for hanyou, 6 times....your not in heat YET, your going into it..you should be in it by tommorow though..". he explained calmly, trying his best to not embarass Kagome anymore than she already was..to his complete shock, when he looked at her, he found her..GRINNING?  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"You mean, I'll only have this six times a year? So like, only every two months? For like three days? Your serious! WOW! Being in heat sure beats getting your period!", Kagome's embarrasement was clearly gone, having been replaced by general happiness, because, like any sane girl, she hated getting her period every month, and now, she would only have to get it every two months, for a considerably shorter amount of time.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Um..right..why are you so happy about this? Just while a go, you were practicaly cringing in a corner..", now, Inuyasha was very confused.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Suddenly Kagome was reminded of just WHAT dogs did in heat, her face lost its grin, not to mention most of its color, "Oh Kami sama..."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What?! Whats wrong now?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha..is that when..when youkia..mate?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A look of understanding swept over Inuyasha, "Uh..yeah, youkai do tend to mate during that time.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh Kami-sama..", and, as anyone would who had just been bestowed such information, Kagome promptly fainted.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"KAGOME!..are you alright?!", Inuyasha asked, very worried...'she smells..asleep? She must have fainted..stupid wench, it wasn't like I was gonna rape her!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh..", he sighed, as he pulled her limp body up onto the bed, laying her head on the pillow and pulling the covers over her, returning them both to their original position before he had to go and share a bit of infomation.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
It was hard for him to fall asleep, the enticing scent kept getting stronger, and, resisting it as he was, was not exactly easy, but, eventualy he did fall asleep, thankfully freeing himself from that scent.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**************************************************************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome awoke to the feel of warm sunlight streaming through her window, she felt Inuyasha holding her and nudged him awake. Now beginning to recognize the difference in smells of someone who is awake, and someone who is asleep, she knew that her nudge had worked.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"You know..I had the strangest dream.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Did it involve someone telling you that you were in heat..someone who forgot to mention its the most fucking tempting smell ever!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh..it wasn't a dream was it..?.", Kagome had kind of already known it wasn't a dream, she was just realy realy hoping that it was.."Oh Kami-sama..wait..TEMPTING?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Damn right its tempting! You should feel realy glad I have a lot of self control! And don't go fainting on me again!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome couldn't help but giggle when Inuyasha said he had self control, "You! Self Control? Riiiiight..."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh! I have plenty of self control! You don't even want to know what most youkia would have done in my situation!", Inuyasha defended, as he jumped out of bed, "Come on, get up! Everyone else is awake already! And they've got breakfast cooking...and I don't think I can stand being in the same room with you and that smell, alone!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome blushed, trying her best to not faint again..'ok, maybe its safe to say that Inuyasha has more self control that most youkia, but that doesn't mean that he has self control, that just means he is not an evil killer!', she got out of bed, making her way to the door, but was stopped by Inuyasha's hand grabbing hold of her arm.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Were gonna test your senses, whats your mom cooking?", Inuyasha was trying to get his mind off of her smell, thankful that there was the food as a diversion.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Umm..", Kagome sniffed the air, a strange look coming over her, "Ramen? For breakfast? My mom must realy like you Inuyasha.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh, you ARE getting better.", he patted her on the back, careful to not to GET TOO close to her..with her smelling the way she did..that could be a very bad move.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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"Are they awake yet Shippo?", Souta asked for the tenth time, knowing he wouldn't get to eat untill they were.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"When I told you that I would be able to tell when they are awake, I didn't think you would keep bothering me about it..", Shippo stated blandly making an equaly bland face. *A.N: LIKE THIS! -_-*  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well? Are they?!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He sniffed the air..'OH NO!'.."Souta, I've had such a great time, I never get to play with kids my own age, do you think I could stay here a few days?", Shippo practicaly begged, quickly.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Souta's face lit up.."SURE!, Your pretty cool Shippo! But only if you do some more of that shape shifting stuff."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Um sure, I'll shape shift all you want..", truth was, at this point, he would basicaly do anything to stay here for just a few days..when he had sniffed to see if they were awake yet, he had also noticed the OTHER smell, Kagome was on her 'TIME', and he knew well enough just what adults did when their mates were on their 'time', he knew that during the 'time', mates did the 'adult thing' queit frequently, he also knew, that he would NOT be a welcome member of the group during the 'time'..when his mom was on her 'time', she always sent him off to stay with one of his friends a few days. Kagome probably wouldn't have the heart to send him away, but Inuyasha..well..he knew that Inuyasha was willing to go to great lengths to get rid of him..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Are they awake?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Thankfully, instead of having to sniff again, he could hear their voices, he decided he did NOT want to hear just what they were saying, but did catch something about ramen.."Yep, their awake now."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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Kagome and Inuyasha entered the kitchen, Shippo and Souta sat on the floor, while Mrs.Higurashi cooked Ramen, Jii-chan, was, more than likely, using the bathroom or something.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Good morning everyone, how did you sleep Shippo?", Kagome asked, curious to know how Shippo's first night away from anyone from their group had went.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Fine fine, it went fine! In fact, Souta asked if I could stay a few more nights!, didn't you Souta?", he nudged Souta, not so subtley, in the ribs.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Um..yeah...sure..Onee-chan, I did ask Shippo to stay a few days...", Souta said, obviously a little confused, but managing to lie queit well.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Three days.", Shippo said, nudging Souta again.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Right..Three days.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome looked at the two strangely, not making any connection between Shippo wanting to be away, and her being in heat.."Um..Sure Shippo-Chan, if you want too.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha bit back a laugh and nodded to Shippo in approval, he wasn't sure WHAT Kagome and himself would be doing during her time, but he sure as hell knew that it wasn't a time that a pup like Shippo needed to be around for.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Shippo was a little surprised to see Inuyasha actualy nodding at him, but, however, he did know aproval was always better that being slammed into a wall.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Souta looked meaningfully at Shippo, a look that clearly said 'you better tell me whats going on after their gone.'.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Shippo nodded at him, although he wasn't exactly looking forward to explaining to Souta that his sister was on her 'time', not to mention what youkia did on their 'time'...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Soo mom!, how did you sleep?", Kagome asked pleasantly, trying to be as nice as she could to her family before she left again.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh, I SLEPT FINE SWEETY!, although I did wake up in the middle of the night..it sounded like people were moving around furniture!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"heh heh..musta been a dream mom!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Or someone getting sat..", Shippo murmered.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome glanced at him, and whispered to the youkia in the room, "or someone getting sat three times.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Shippo laughed, Inuyasha ignored him..remembering that that sitting had been worth it.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Um..Kagome, when are we going home?", Inuyasha asked, knowing that this closed in house only trapped Kagome's heat scent, making it everywhere, which in turn made him very very..uncomfortable..or perhaps way TOO comfortable.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"We SHOULD be getting back soon..I guess after we eat..", She decided.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"OH SWEETY! Your leaving so soon? Oh but you will be back in three days to get your Shippo!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sorry mom, but we REALY should be getting back soon, its my home now, and my friends will be worried..", Kagome reminded, trying to sound as perky as her mother always did, 'its my home now, my friends will be worried AND we better leave soon before anyone notices that look Inuyasha's giving me...that look of LUST?..Just what DO I smell like!?'.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Ahem, INUYASHA, why don't you help my mother with the ramen!", suggested Kagome, hoping to draw him out of his little daydreams, or at least make him stop looking at her like THAT.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Ramen?! What? Oh..ramen..how am I supposed to help with the ramen?!, Inuyasha looked towards the ramen, for the first time realizing that he had been staring at Kagome, and more than likely, his stare had told her just what he was thinking.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I don't know, just go stand by her and stop looking at me like that before someone says something!", Kagome whispered to him harshly.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"feh..", he murmered, as he went over to where Mrs.Higurashi stood, and decided to do exactly what Kagome had suggested, just stand there. Of course, Mrs.Higurashi noticed him standing there and used it to her advantage, reaching over and touching his ears every so often.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Shippo had saw the way Inuyasha was staring at Kagome..he also had that look on his face that meant he was thinking..Shippo shuddered..that was just creepy.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Soon breakfast was done and everyone ate (Jii-chan was back from the toilett or whatever by then), most conversation during that time consisted of Mrs.Higurashi planning out the Wedding party thing, Shippo being surprisingly queit, and Inuyasha staring at Kagome in a strange manner.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
After everyone had finished eating, and Kagome had retrieved her backpack from her room, she decided it was time to go.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hey mom, I think I'm gonna go now, Shippo-chan, are you SURE your gonna be alright?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Me!? Fine Fine! I'll be fine! You will come back for me...right?"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Of COURSE Shippo-chan!", she gave him a quick hug and sat him back down.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Bye Bye Sweety! Here, take some ramen with you!", Mrs.Higurashi exclaimed as she handed Kagome many boxes of ramen.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Umm thanks mom..", Kagome stuffed the boxes into her backpack.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Bye Jii-chan!, I'll bring you back some seals that actualy work next time...Oh, and, could you call the school and tell them I dropped out? Thanks.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Goodbye Kagome..yes I will tell them that you have contacted a horrible disease that has forced you to drop out of school."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Um..right..Okay, Bye now! Bye souta, Bye Mom, Bye Shippo! Bye Jii-chan!", She waved as she and Inuyasha walked out the door.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"BYE!", they all called in unision.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha! Say bye!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Bye Kagome's family, Shippo..", he murmered, just loud enough for them to hear.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"BYE!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Before Kagome could talk him into saying bye again, Inuyasha grabbed her and ran to the well, jumping in it without hesitation.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome looked up to see the pale blue sky of Sengoku Jidai.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well...were back..", Kagome informed.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Realy?", asked Inuyasha, sarcasticaly as he jumped out of the well with Kagome in tow.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Ugh..I should of took another warm bath while I was still there...my stomache hurts.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Its because of the 'heat', just like humans, youkia experience stomache cramps when they're on their cycle.", explained Inuyasha.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome looked at him blandly, "Just how do you know all of this stuff?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha shrugged, "I just do, all youkia know, SHIPPO probably even knows..didn't you notice how he wanted to stay in the future for three days?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"You don't think its cause he knows I'm in heat, DO YOU?!", Kagome asked, blushing.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Of course it is, bakka, now, if you want a bath, I know where theres a hotspring."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome blushed even darker, she didn't like the idea of Shippo knowing about her...heat..however, a hot spring sounded very nice, perhaps even better than a bath.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"How far away is the hotspring?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Not too far..I'm gonna hafta teach you the scents of things, then you'd be able to smell the hot spring."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha took a breath of the fresh air, he was very glad to be back in his time period, where everything smelled fresh and clean, not to mention the fact that it was a wide open space...where a certain scent wasn't trapped, where Kagome's heat scent was free to go about wherever it wanted instead of being cramped up in her house, contaminating all the air..yep, it was a lot easier for him to think without that scent everywhere..although it was still strong.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Lets go to the hotspring Inuyasha..if you don't mind.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I wouldn't have suggested it if I minded, now would I?", with that, he picked her up and ran off to the hotspring.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
(((((())))))))))))))))))))))(((((()))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))((()))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))())))))  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Not long after, they arrived at a rather large hotspring.  
Inuyasha sat Kagome down and then sat himself down against a large rock.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Um..Inuyasha? You can't just stay there!", Kagome reminded, staring at Inuyasha.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Why not?", he asked, grinning.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"UGH! You can't watch me take a bath!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Why not?", he asked again, still grinning.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"HENTAI!", she screamed as she went over to slap him, however her hand was stopped inches from his face.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Your my mate Kagome! How does watching you bathe make me a hentai? I mean, I've seen you naked before!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"NOT WITH MY PERMISSION!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well, your my mate now, so, I should be able to see you naked with your permision!", Inuyasha reasoned, stubbornly.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome brought her hand away from his face and let it fall to her side. She looked to be considering his reasoning. 'Well..why can't he see   
me naked? We ARE mates...thats just like being married..supposedly its MORE important than being married...Miroku's saw Sango naked..well..umm..', Kagome couldn't think of one reason why he couldn't see her naked. Giving up she grumbled something that sounded like 'fine', and turned her back to him, slipped out of her kimono, and entered the water as FAST as possible.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
However, she was rather unhappy to find that the water wasn't very deep, and, unfortunately, only went up a little over her waiste and that was with her sitting down..of course, this was unfortunate to her, NOT Inuyasha, who happened to be staring at the exposed skin rather intently.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hentai..", she grumbled, as she leaned her back up against a rock in the middle of the pond.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*A/N:doesn't it seem like there are always conveniently placed large rocks in hotsprings/lakes, for them to lean up against..*  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She tried her best to ignore his staring as she relaxed in the warm soothing water, of course, it was quiet obvious to her that he was staring,  
she could feel his eyes on her, which wasn't exactly the easiest way to relax. She closed her eyes, in hopes it would help.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha stared at Kagome. He had never got to see her naked before without being sat. And he was VERY aware that he was staring at a particular part of her anatomy, located just beneath her neck and above her stomache, more than anything else. 'Damn heat scent! Its driving  
me crazy! And I can't stop staring at her breasts! I'm NOT Miroku..stop staring..I can't..at least staring is all I'm doing..of course. I wish it weren't....UGH!, DAMN FUCKING HEAT SCENT!!'   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome opened one eye, 'yep..hes STILL staring at my boobs..and hes got that look in his eye again..'..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Without even thinking it, Kagome calmnly said something that she, never, in a million years, expected to leave her mouth.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha, if you want me so bad, its not like I have any objections."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'OHMIGOD! I did NOT just say that! THAT HAD TO BE THE 'HEAT' TALKING!..it may be true, but I WOULD NEVER SAY THAT! Damn heat..', however, before she could so much as blush, she found herself whisked out of the spring, and on the embankement with Inuyasha's tongue in her mouth.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'Oh well, as long as I'm here....'  
  
  
  
  
  
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And of course, what happened after that, I will leave to your imagination....but, yes, they did have sex. What?! Kagome couldn't stay a virgin  
forever! AND I DIDN'T WRITE A LIME, OR A LEMON!..you could just barely call that an orange...yes..an orange...did I just make that up? Oh well..  
  
  
Okay..when the next chapter is out, will be totaly up to you, as, I will NOT poste again, unless I get 15 more reviews, thats RIGHT! 15! And don't go saying that you can only poste one a chapter, I know most of you new comers just review the LAST chapter thats wrote, theres 27 of em now! that means you should of all at least sent me 27 of them! AND YOU DIDN't! YOu EVIL EVIL PEOPLE! Which is why, I hafta get at least 15 before I update again, so there.  
  
  
And, don't think Ive ran outa ideas..*snickers evily*, as Kaylana knows..I HAVE A TON MORE OF THEM, the fun has only just begun! *cackles*  
  
REMEMBER..I said I WOULD be dealing with Sango and Mirokus mortality..and then there ist the matter of other things...which I'm not discussing just yet, and IF YOU EVER WANT to know just what my plans are THEN REVIEW!! REVIEW!!  
  
  
  
Favorite reviewers are: Kaylana, Robgirl, Confuzzled, and Bunny..oh and Sorensen..*sends them all imaginary...umm..hotsprings..and..an Imaginary Rin..and an Imaginary Kagome*  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
\ 


	27. Living Dead Girl

Chapter?: Living Dead Girl  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
***************************************************************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome opened her eyes. Just where had Inuyasha brought them? 'We were kissing...and kissing...and then doing..stuff...', Kagome began to blush. At some point during there make out session, Inuyasha had realized he needed to take them both some where a little more private.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome slowly sat up, removing the arm that was tight around her waiste, holding her possessively. She was careful not to disturb the sleeping hanyou beside her. Examining her surroundings, she realized that although she could see, that was only because of her hanyou eyes, should she still be human, it would more than likely be completely dark. The walls were made of stone, and the ground beneath her was covered in moss. The air smelt musty..cold..earthy..and..like Inuyasha? True, Inuyasha was right beside her, and, they had been here quite a while, but some new instinct told her there was more to it than that.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A cave. She was in a cave. 'I never thought I would lose my virginity in a cave...of course, I never thought I'd turn into a demon either..this cave belongs to Inuyasha!'. That was why it smelt like him! It was marked as his. 'Now how did I know that?...instinct?..I never knew Inuyasha had a cave..'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Quietly, she rose from the cool ground, and, for the first time, noticed that she was naked. 'Oh no...I don't have any thing to wear! My kimono is back at the hotspring!'. She searched the room for anything to cover herself with. Finaly, she spotted a pile of redness. Inuyasha's clothes.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'Well..he won't mind if I burrow his haori just untill I find something else..no, of course he won't..'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She gracefully walked over to the pile as quietly as she could, knowing full well that the slightest movement might wake Inuyasha, silently, she slipped the haori on, tieing it tight around the waiste. She was quite happy to find that it did a rather nice job of covering her up, the bottom went farther down than the skirt of her uniform.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kagome?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha?", Kagome looked to where she had left Inuyasha, he was sitting up now, watching her.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh , who else would be in here?", he asked, smirking, "what are you doing with my haori?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome picked up his hakama and threw it to him, "Put on some pants Inuyasha..."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He blushed and proceeded to do as she had asked.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I'm wearing your haori because my kimono is still back at the hotspring, with my backpack, you wouldn't want me running around naked now would you?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha grinned rather pervertedly..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Seeing his grin, she quickly added, "with Miroku around..you know what? We might even run into Kouga? YOu wouldn't want THEM to see me naked...would you?", she looked at him innocently.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome walked over to him and handed him his white shirt, instead of sitting down, she walked around, examining the cave.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I didn't know you had a cave Inuyasha."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh, of course I do! All youkia need a place to take there mates when their in heat!", he answered defensively.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Suddenly, an idea popped into Kagome's mind that hadn't been there before. She turned to stare at Inuyasha. "Inuyasha..you haven't..used this cave before? Have you?", Sure, he had been alive who knows how long, but still..the idea that he might have been here with Kikyou..or anyone else for that matter..was..disturbing to say the least.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha looked at her as if she had just confessed her secret love for Kaede, and how she planned to go have a threesome with her and Kouga.  
He jumped up and grabbed her shoulders.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"OF COURSE I HAVEN'T! How could you even think that? Youkia don't mate with anyone BUT their mate Kagome! Your my mate!", he stared into her eyes, afraid that she might not believe him, and hurt that she would consider it.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"sorry..I didn't know youkia did that..its just that in my old time, guys aren't so..faithful..and tend to um..mate with lots of different girls..and you have been alive so long and all..its just hard to believe that you held out that long.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha let loose her shoulders, seeming to understand what she meant. "Honestly Kagome, in your old time, everyone's a fucking letch!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'I guess Miroku's nothing compared to some of the guys I've been around..funny..I've never even noticed that before..sure, no one but Miroku has ever asked me to bare their child, but still..'. With the thought of baring children, came the rememberance of something she had been meaning to ask Inuyasha.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha?..", she was blushing again, clearly embarrased by what question she was about to ask, "umm..I know that dogs ONLY mate when their in heat, cause that's the only time they can get pregnant..youkia don't ONLY mate then..do they?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha smirked, it was always nice to hear that your mate just couldn't get enough of you, "Don't worry bakka, you can have me whenever you want."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
As bad as she hated to admit it to herself, that was a relief, but there was no way Inuyasha was going to get away with saying something like that to her. "Sit!!..Hentia.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"BITCH!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"umm..actualy..I am a bitch..", she giggled at that realization, but her laughter was cut short as she realized something else. A new smell was present. A very very unwelcome smell on her part. Her ears perked up as the almost silent sound of foot fall came closer. That smell...it was..infuriating! 'Why is it making me so mad? Who is it?'. She noticed Inuyasha, still glued to the ground, had stopped groaning and cursing, and was now just as silent as she was. 'He must recognize it..it does seem familiar..'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She tried to let instinct take over and decode the smells..Death..dead leaves..dirt...herbs..flowers..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome was half surprised to find that she was growling..'Well..thats a first..' Kagome continued to growl as the smell came closer, she was clearly visable now..standing only a few feet away.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kikyou", Kagome growled out the name of the dead miko standing in front of her, looking as forlourn as ever, "Don't you EVER die?? I thought Naraku killed you for good this time..". Kagome let out a sigh of frustration.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha remained in his 'sat' position, though the spell had worn off long ago. He didn't know what to do.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well, if it isn't my incarnate..with MY Inuyasha...haven't you realized it yet? I can't die! Not untill the destiny that I had taken away is fulfilled, we both know the only reason Inuyasha took you as his mate is becuase he thought I was dead for good."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'No..Inuyasha loves me...if he wanted her he would have gone to hell with her!', "Thats not true Kikyou! Inuyasha chose me! Kikyou..your dead, you may walk and talk like the living..but your not alive..you stink like death...how do you know that being with Inuyasha was your destiny? Couldn't it be that dieing was your destiny? Kikyou..please don't do this..", Kagome's voice was more pleading than angry, and more comforting than menacing.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Its rather pointless to argue with yourself, don't you think?", Kikyou taunted subtley as she turned to Inuyasha.  
"Inuyasha..why did you do this?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Very very slowly Inuyasha stood up to face the two women. Kagome appeared insecure and unsure of herself..Kikyou looked forlourn, as usual.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kikyou...I..love Kagome."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"But Inuyasha..Don't you love me?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
There was a rather uncomfortable pause as both girls awaited his answer.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kikyou...I will always love you..but, we weren't meant to be..your dead, I love Kagome now...I'm sorry.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome breathed a sigh of relief, though she believed Inuyasha when he told her he loved her, there was still that part of her that would never be sure of just how she measured up to Kikyou.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"If that is how you want it Inuyasha, then I should be the one to say I'm sorry..you must die!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha stared at her, too shocked to do anything else. Kikyou rose the bow, she pulled back the arrow.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh shit..not again!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The arrow was loose, flying into Inuyasha and pinning him into the side of the cave.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kikyou turned to face her incarnation, perfectly content with the idea of bestowing her the same fate.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
what she saw, actualy brought a flicker of surprise to her dead eyes. Kagome, her copy, was not crying, not screaming, not shocked, not in a rage..but..she was staring at her like she was incredibly stupid.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kikyou..I seriously wander about your intelligence sometimes...your realy giving us a bad name.", with that, she calmly walked over to the pinned Inuyasha, and removed the arrow.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"OH NO! Not another one! I've already been through this twice! I don't wanna have two dead girls following me around!", Inuyasha, now free of the seal, was awake, and sufficiently panicked.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome slapped him. "Inuyasha. Its me. Ka-go-me. You were only sealed for about 5 minutes this time. No ones dead..or ...well..unless you count Kikyou..but she was kinda dead already."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha was very relieved, but then anger set in, "Kikyou!? Why the fuck do you keep doing that!?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Your..alive!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"YA THINK? In case ya haven't noticed, Kagome can break the spell! How'd ya think I got free in the first place?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I..but...Come to hell with me Inuyasha!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What the hell? I think being dead has done something to your brain."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kikyou! Why can't you just leave us alone? The jewel is gone! I purified it and used the wish, Inuyasha is happy, why can't you just rest in peace now?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I can not rest in peace untill my destiny is fulfilled! Me and Inuyasha must be together, and, it seems as though I may have kill you to get you to stop interfereing!."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha looked rather..trapped. He wanted to kill Kikyou, with Kagome as his mate, his protective instincts for her had grown even stronger. But he couldn't kill Kikyou...he ...somewhere in him he still felt love for her. 'But this isn't Kikyou! This is just some animated corpse!..but..it looks like her..and sounds like her..I can't do it..'. He slid down into a sitting position against the wall.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kikyou, I will not let you kill me! But, I will help you fulfill your destiny! Your destiny was to die Kikyou!", instinct took over as Kagome growled deeply and attacked Kikyou with her claws.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha knew he should do something. Do ANYTHING but just sit there. But he couldn't..what was he supposed to do anyway? Pry his mate off of his dead ex-girlfriend? He knew just as well as every other youkia in their right mind that an angry youkia in heat was not something you wanted to mess with. So he just sat there, watching as his mate tore into Kikyou. He was concerned for Kagome..Kikyou did have some pretty strong miko powers...as was evidenced by the brilliant blast of power that soon threw back Kagome. But then she was right back, slashing and clawing. 'If..Kikyou gets the better of her..I..I WILL kill Kikyou..'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome slashed at Kikyou with her claws. She had no idea what had possessed her to attack Kikyou. She had never felt the need to kill her before. But here she was, slashing and clawing with skill she didn't know she had. Instinct, instinct to kill what had threatened her. Youkia intinct. And, unable to resist it, she went with it, ignoring the searing pain brought on by Kikyou's blast of miko energy.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
This wouldn't do. Kikyou just wasn't dieing. She was making it almost impossible for Kagome to touch her, as each slash brought her own self pain. The miko energy shield Kikyou had surrounded herself with was doing its job, and doing it well for that matter. Kagome was begining to feel like this was in vain, Kikyou just stood there, emotionlessly, fighting back with her own powers..they weren't getting anywhere.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Suddenly, Kagome felt herself move back a considerable distance, she brought one hand in the air as she let the other stay at her side. "OKIBI AISU!", *A/N, that translates to Blazing Fire Ice...**, she brought her hands together quickly at the wrist, spreading her hands apart, and aimed at the dead miko, so that they formed an cup-like form, out of her hands burst a string ice, pointed like a dagger, and covered, completely, in fire. The string of ice went straight into Kikyou, completely destroying her Miko shield and piercing her.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha stared, disbelieving..'um..yeah, Miroku, she DOES have her own powers..'   
  
  
  
  
  
*A/N: Ahem, remember when inu and mir were having that discusion of whether or not kagome got her own powers? well..you should..it only like 5 chapters ago..ish**  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kikyou looked at the ice dagger impaling her, then she looked straight ahead at Kagome.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
"You..You..I'll come back! I always come back!". But, at that moment, the fire that resided on the ice, spread onto Kikyou, enveloping her in its blaze.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome sighed, the control of shere instict quickly fading away, she stared at her two hands, still thrust out in a cup like form...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Not this time Kikyou..not this time.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*******************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha looked at Kagome, staring in shock at her hands, and then he looked back to the flaming miko. What bothered him most about this particular scene was that Kikyou wasn't writhing, not stuggling in anyway, not even trying to put out the fire. It seemed as though she accepted it...like she was almost..happy about it.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Ka-Kagome?", he listened to her, as she almost silenty vowed that Kikyou wouldn't be coming back this time...somehow..Inuyasha believed her..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha and Kagome both noticed another prescence in the cave, both of them turned their heads upwards, only to see an almost transparent image of the miko who was currently on fire, hovering above them, minus the fire of course.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kikyou?!", Inuyasha and Kagome yelled in unision.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Thank you Kagome, thank you for freeing me...goodbye Inuyasha, I hope you are happy with her...", for once, the voice of Kikyou was saying something considerate to the two, and had said it sincerely, soon the image was gone, and the flaming dead Kikyou dropped to the ground. Dead. Finaly dead. For good.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kagome!?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha..I'm..sorry..I shouldn't have.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh, its alright Kagome...shes..free now.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome ran up to Inuyasha, colapsing into his arms.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha..."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
***************************************************************************************  
******************A safe distance away in Kaede's hut********************************  
  
  
  
Sango and Miroku sat with Kaede, grinding up herbs, as they had already found Sango's kimono way to much  
for their own good.  
  
  
  
Sango but a hand over her stomache, she was feeling quesy yet again, "Kaede, do you have something for my stomache? It has been, rather, upset lately."  
  
  
"Of course Sango, let me go get something.", the old Miko left the room.  
  
  
  
Miroku put an arm around Sango's shoulder, concerned, "Your not sick are you Sango? Are you alright?"  
  
  
  
  
"I'm fine Miroku, don't worry about me...its probably just one of those 'viruses' Kagome speaks of..', of course, her statement held little conviction as she suddenly jumped up, ran outside and vomited.  
  
  
  
  
"Sango?!", Miroku ran outside to see what he could do.  
  
  
  
  
After finishing that, Sango turned calmly, grudgingly accepting Miroku's shoulder to lean on, and returned to the hut.   
Kaede had already returned with some medicine, and had laid out a futon. Miroku helped Sango lie down, quite to her protests.  
  
  
  
"I'm fine Miroku! I just need a little something for my stomache, I don't need to lie down!"  
  
  
  
  
"Lets just be cautious Sango, what harm can it do?", Miroku reasoned, Kaede nodded her head and handed Sango a glass of some  
medicinal drink.  
  
  
  
Kaede only cocked an eyebrow and watched, as Sango downed the tea and then lay back down, under the watchful and concerned eye of Miroku, who sat on his knees, letting Sango lean her head up against his leg, absently, he pulled some of the hair out of her face. Soon, Kirara snuggled up into Sango's side.  
  
  
  
Miroku stroked her cheek, the girl too tired to protest...a look of obvious worry was caste over his face.  
'Just a virus?'   
  
  
  
  
  
  
************************************************************************************************************************************The Seshoumaru Update*********************************************************************************************  
  
  
  
"Seshy-sama?..When are we going to find Feather lady? Its been soo long, Rin is hungry!", the little girl tapped the top of his head to get his attention, as she was, still yet, residing on his shoulders.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Soon Rin, I can smell her. It will not be long now...and stop calling me that. If your hungry then I will go get you something to eat.", he stated emotionlessly, as he lifted the little girl off his shoulders.  
  
  
  
Spotting a medium sized CLEAN rock, he sat her on it. He dragged his foot around it, forming a circle in the dirt. Expressionlessly, he took one of his sharp claws and dug it into the skin of his fore arm. He took a finger and dabbed it into the small bead of blood that had appeared 'eww..icky blood..it might stain my kimono!', quickly, he took the blood dabbed finger and pressed it to Rin's forhead.  
  
  
  
  
"Stay here Rin, I will go hunt for us, no one will hurt you, with my blood on you, they will know to stay away, *for now*, you are mine. No one, takes away anything that belongs to I, the great Seshoumaru."  
  
  
  
"Okay Seshy!..", seeing her beloved Seshy head for a tree, with every intent on using it to mess up his pretty hair, she quickly corrected herself, "I mean...Seshoumaru-Sama, can you get us a rabbit Seshoumaru-Sama?  
Rin LIKES rabbits!"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Be quite Rin, and do not move from that spot."  
  
  
  
  
Rin nodded her head as she watched Seshy disapear from sight, to go catch a rabbit.  
  
  
  
  
  
'I hate hunting..it gets me all dirty...eww..but for that blasted mortal girl...she is hungry, I must feed her..icky dirt..eww.."  
  
  
  
  
  
********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************  
A/N: Its been a while hasn't it? For me anyway. usualy im update twice a day, or at least once..but ive been busy..and I worked a little on my other Inu fic, "wish away", which is posted, and you should all go read!!! orr not..i don't care, this is the story that i actualy care about..so..yeah..wish away is just a side project...  
  
  
  
  
Okay..where do I start? SO many people have been reviewing *glomps all the reviewers*...well..um..even though I love and cherish each and EVERY one of my reviewers, I do have my favorites.  
  
Favorite reviewers: As always, Kaylana, who I must give credit to for helping me come up with a name for Kagome's attack..okay..she didn't HELP me..she came up with it..but i thought of what it would do, ok, Inu-chan, Admiral Biatch, Sorensen, RObgirl, Nicole, Vold, Moonstar (well..thats your email adress..but you dont have an account), lady night, BUnny, and confuzzled, if I forgot anyone, gomen...theres just SOOOOOOO many of you now! I feel sooo loved...If I forgot you, and you think you deserved to be on the list, say so in your next review and i'll add you, if i think you deserved it..*you gotta actualy review MORE than once*  
  
Okay..once again, kagomes new move, okibi aisu, means, Blazing Fire Ice, and Kaylana thought up the name.  
  
  
Next chapter should be out...eventualy. I promise it won't take as long as this one did.well..not if you reviewers remain faithfull..okay..bye bye now. 


	28. The Overwhelming Greatness of Seshymaru

Chapter?: The Overwhelming Greatness of Seshy-Maru  
  
  
  
  
  
**********************************************************  
  
  
Kagome broke apart from Inuyasha. He understood..thank kami that he didn't hate her..'I don't know what happened..I just..lost control...but why? I don't hate Kikyou.."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha?", The Hanyou in question looked down into her eyes, waiting for her to go on.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She looked down, avoiding his gaze, "Why did I do that?..I realy..didn't mean too..and I have NO idea what 'okibi aisu' is..I have no idea where that came from..."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha sighed...this had been a rather traumatic day..."Kagome, your youkia now, your instinct was to kill what was threatening you, so you did...'okibi aisu' is apperently one of your new abilities that you got from becoming hanyou, chances are, you have others too...and, not only was it just the youkia instict that did it, your in heat Kagome...youkia in heat tend to lose control of themselves..this is only the first day of your heat..so your still pretty much normal, but much more easily influenced by your instints.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome gulped and looked up at him.."lose control?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha smirked slightly, she sure was gonna love to hear this, "Yeah, lose control, by this time tommorow your not gonna be quite yourself, instinct will COMPLETELY take over, and, being that your in heat, that instinct is gonna be to fuck like crazy."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome slapped him, simply because it seemed like the right thing to do, sure, it was true, and sure, he was only telling her what she had asked, but still, he didn't have to phrase it so crudely.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Bitch, why'd you go and do that?", he grumbled rubbing his cheek.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Instead of answering him, she plopped down onto the ground. "So...I'm going to lose control of myself...like you do when you go into your full youkia mode?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha sat down beside her, "Yeah, except your not going to go on a killing rampage."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome blushed. The idea of herself becoming a sex crazed, uncontrolable youkia with untamable desires..was..very, embarrasing...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha went on, "thats why youkia take their mates to a cave or someplace while their in heat, and keep them their till their out of it."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome stopped looking at the ground as if it were made made of gold and looked in the direction of the dead miko.  
Her body lay there, some feet a way from the two, charred black.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The cave reeked of death. It stank of burnt flesh. Kagome wandered how she had stood it this long.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha...lets burry her, while I still have control over myself.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha wordlessly went over to the corpse of Kikyou, he picked it up, ignoring the awful stench..He realy didn't know how he felt about this. His mate had killed the woman he once loved, and, in a way still loved. It seemed as though he should be angry, or sad, or even guilty. But the only thing he felt was a strange sense of peace..He still didn't quite understand what the, apperant, ghoste of Kikyou had meant..why had she had the sudden change of heart..what had gone on? 'I'll have to ask the letch about this when we get back..'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha and Kagome burried Kikyou near the cave. It seemed right to do so, and Kagome made no objections. It was rather solemn. Neither said a word during the process. The hole for her grave was dug using only the combination of both of their hands and claws. And as they lay her body down into it, they did so with delicacy. After laying her to rest, they refilled the hole, each clump of dirt slowly covering up the miko untill she was hidden from sight. Kagome lay a small bouquet of flowers a top it, and Inuyasha marked it with a stone.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kikyou was dead. Kikyou was gone. The past had ended, and only the future remained.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
***The next day...*****  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha sat with Kagome in his cave, their cave. He could tell by her scent that she was already begining to lose control.  
And he could tell it scared her. He wrapped his arms around her and enveloped her in a comforting hug. This was going to be difficult for her. She was clinging desperately to her control..any other youkia would have lost it a long time ago.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha..I don't wanna lose control...", she whispered desperately. The idea of losing herself, for even only a little while, frightened her. Where would she go during that time? Would she remember anything? What if she did something horrible?.."How long will it last Inuyasha?.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh..Only a day Kagome..don't be afraid..all your gonna do is be desperate to fuck..you want hurt anyone..don't be afraid..just let go..I know it must hurt to try and stop it..", He tried his best to be nice to her, uncharacteristcly nice, it was realy NOT the time to be his usual self, it would only make this more difficult.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Your gonna enjoy this aren't you! HENTAI!", she pulled away from him and clutched her head..it hurt..trying not to lose herself was so hard..she didn't want to let go..she couldn't..but..oh god's it hurt so bad..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha watched her as she clutched her head in pain, she let out a small whimper, more than likely she didn't even notice. He had never heard of a youkia lasting this long without submitting to the heat..Kagome had self control..a LOT of it..But he couldn't bare to see her suffering anymore, and he had a good idea of how to end it..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Quickly, not giving her time to realize what he was doing, he pinned her to the ground and kissed her. 'That should be enough ...that should let the heat take over..and end her pain.'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome felt him kiss her, she knew that she couldn't hold on any longer,and it was hurting so bad anyway..she let go.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha sighed, relieved to see her eyes change to red, finaly..she had let go...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
And now, now he would perform his duties of being her mate. He smirked. Sex crazed Kagome..that..would be fun.  
  
  
  
  
  
*************************In the Future, with SHIPPO**********************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Shippo realy realy wanted to go back home. He missed Kagome, he missed Sango, he missed Kirara..heck, he even missed that perverted monk..And hey, as long as you add Miroku, why not throw in Inuyasha too. Yep, he missed them all..and it had only been one night.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He had gotten homesick only an hour after Kagome left. He had insisted on sleeping in Kagome's bed, if he couldn't sleep with her, her scent would just have to do. He had been petted, ooo'ed over, and squeled over, far too many times to count. Kagome's mother was going to make him explode with all the food she had been feeding him.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome's grandfather had tried, on numerous occasions, to rid him of evil. Shippo wasn't evil..annoying, but not evil. He had had to resort to making false copies of himself just to keep the old man occupied.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Souta had insisted on being told what was going on. And, reluctantly, Shippo had told him all about Kagome being in heat and just what mates did during that time. Obviously, that had not been what Souta was expecting, and after making a disgusted face, and mumbling 'gross', he had switched to another subject, namely shapeshifting.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Shippo was worn out from that, Souta seemed to find his shape shifting amazing. In all his life, he didn't think he had shape shifted as much as he had in that one day.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
So now he lay snuggled up against Kagome's pillow, in Kagome's bed, very reluctant, if not scared, to leave it and face the household. It was early in the morning..and the idea that he would have to spend two more days here, scared him to no end.  
'Why didn't I just take the hint from Sango and Miroku and stay with them...is this punishment for being too annoying?'.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He could smell Souta coming closer. Soon, he would be forced out of bed.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Souta peeked his head through the door, "Shippo-chan?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Shippo groaned and squirmed out of the covers. "What?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well, I have school today and I was wandering if you wanted to go with me."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
It was then that Shippo noticed the backpack Souta was wearing.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'Oh no..I do NOT want to go to skoool'. School was that thing Kagome was always worried about. School had tests.  
School was no fun.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Um...can't I just stay here?", he whined.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Souta smiled, "Well, would you rather go to school, or stay here with my mother?". Souta knew as well as his sister did that his mother was not quite right in the head...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The little kitsune vaguely recalled some saying or another he had heard..'damned if you do, damned if you don't.'.  
well..tests would have to be better than Kagome's mother..he shuddered, remembering her screaming 'kawai' again and again, hurting his ears.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Are you sure its alright if I go?..what about my tail?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sure I'm sure, I can just say your visiting and wanted to see how the school was, see if you might like to go there, they'll be happy about the prospect of a new student, and can't you change shapes so that you won't have a tail?", Souta was quite smart, despite his fascination with shape shifting.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Shippo considered that. He hadn't quite mastered the art of not letting his tail show..but maybe..if he didn't make too big of an illusion he could do it. Trying his hardest, he imagined himself looking the same age as Souta, minus the tail and the fox legs.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Souta watched, amazed as the little kitsune turned into a slightly larger kitsune. Shippo's hair was got a little longerlonger, his tail was gone, and he had two, perfectly normal, human legs. His ears were no longer pointed, and his fangs were gone. He was also wearing blue jeans and a green sweater. On his back, was a red back pack.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hows this?..will I pass for normal?"  
  
  
  
  
Souta nodded.."Yeah..but the girls are gonna have a fit over you..I don't quite think that your gonna escape the squels of 'kawaii'..but at least you want be left alone with my mother..come on, I'm almost late.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
And so Shippo the kitsune, now Shippo the Bishounen, followed Souta, to experience the dreaded 'skoool'.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*************************************************Back in the past with Wind tunnel man and Boomerang lady..ahem************  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango was grinding herbs with Kaede and Miroku. 'Damn..how much herbs does she have to grind?'. Her stomache had felt better when she awoke, it was as if it never was upset in the first place. 'Well..even if it is a lot of work grinding them..they sure do work..'. Kirara sat curled up in her lap, seeming to find amusement in everyones partaking of the herb grinding.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Are you sure your feeling better Sango? Don't you think you need to rest?", Miroku placed a hand on her shoulder to show his concern.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She scowled at him, "I'M FINE! I don't need any rest, I just woke up!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku shrank back, not expecting her to be so angry, Kaede didn't move, being far too interested in grinding herbs.  
"Sango, whats wrong?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
And then, Sango's face crumbled and a tear slid down her cheek, "I'm sorry Miroku, I didn't mean to yell at you! Please forgive me! I'm soo sorry.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku stumbled backwards, "EH?", What in kamis name was wrong with her? One minute she was practicaly screaming at him and now here she was, crying and apologizing...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Um..its alright?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Of course, by now, Sango had stopped crying and reverted back to being normal, and grinding herbs..  
"Whats alright?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku slowly returned back to where he had been sitting before..Sango was acting..strange.."Sango, you were crying.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango seemed to pay no mind to this, and instead, switched the subject, "Miroku, Kagome and Inuyasha have been gone quite a while now..what do you suppose is taking so long..?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The houshi got that look on his face that no houshi should ever have.."Inuyasha and Kagome have not had any time to be..intimate Sango..perhaps they are doing so now?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango jumped from her spot, leaving Kirara to fall to the floor, and whapped Miroku on the head with her abnormaly large boomerang seven times."HENTAI *BONK* HENTAI *BONK* HENTAI *BONK* HENTAI *BONK* HENTAI *BONK*HENTAI *BONK* HENTAI *BONK*!!!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku fell to the floor, VERY unconscious..Sango looked at her boomerang, in, what looked to be, disbelief, she colapsed onto the ground, holding Miroku's unconscious body up to her own in a position he would have rather liked, should he have been fully conscious. "Oh Miroku, what have I done!? I'm so sorry!".  
  
  
  
  
  
  
It was at this time, that Kaede finaly became aware of the world outside of grinding herbs. She surveyed her surroundings.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku was unconscous on the floor, having seven large bumps on his head.  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango was holding his whole buddy up against her own, his head held tightly to her breast, and she was apologizing ferociously. And then she jumped up, clutching her stomache, and ran out the door, leaving Miroku's head to bang against the floor. Make that 8 large bumps on the head for the houshi.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Rather unpleasant noises were heard coming from outside, noises one might make if they were vomiting.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
And Kirara, was curled up on the floor..snickering.well..doing the closest thing to snickering that a cat demon is capable of doing.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kaede shook her head, and assumed she was having some strange hallucination..'must be the vapors from the herbs..', so, doing as any old woman with a love of herbs would in this situation, she went back to grinding up her herbs.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
************Somewhere, conveniently far away, and apparently close to Kagura with Seshy*****************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Rin and Seshy had ate a hearty dinner of rabbit, and now they were off on their way to find Kagura.  
Rin still had that little dab of blood on her forhead, which one from the future, and knowing of different cultures, would compare to looking somewhat like the little jewel some women from india put there. Of course, to people back in this day and age, people who knew of no culture but that which belonged to them, it just looked like a dab of blood.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Seshymaru-sama?", Rin tapped the top of his head to get his attention again, and wished that he had kawaii doggy ears like that half breed so that she could pet them.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'Seshy-maru? SESHY-MARU?', "Rin, I told you to stop calling me that!", Seshys voice was dangerously close to actualy showing emotion.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"But Rin didn't call you 'Seshy'..", the little girl pointed out, slightly confuzed.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Seshy went over to a near bye tree and, after sitting Rin to the ground, banged his head against it.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"SESHY-MARU! STOP THAT! YOUR MESSING UP YOUR PRETTY HAIR!!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Seshy-maru stopped. He looked at the little girl expressionlessly, "Then stop calling me that degrading name.", He picked her up and sat her a top his shoulders yet again.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"But I didn't, Seshy-maru-sama.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"You just did!", this time, his voice actualy showed a..oh gods, no not that! A HINT OF EMOTION! Of course, this hint of emotion could have also been attributed to the wind blowing just a tad, causing the tone of his voice to fade out just a little into a somewhat whining tone.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"No I didn't.", the human girl on Seshy's shoulder stated, arguing with the powerful, strong, cold hearted lord of the western lands. The great Seshy-maru.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes you did.", he replied, not about to lose an argument between himself, the great Seshy-maru, and a weak human. And now he had even managed to lose that bothersome emotion he had had for a split second..yes..he realy was great.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"No I didn't"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes you did"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"No I didn't"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"YES YOU DID! RIN, I ORDER YOU TO NOT SAY ANOTHER WORD!", Yes, sure, he had used emotion, a lot of it in fact, but still yet, he had managed to win. He knew the girl wouldn't disobey his orders. So he had won the argument. "I realy am great.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
******************Back in the future..err..present?..um..back at Kagomes old time..with..medicine boy******************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Houjo road his bycicle to his house, school had just began, but he would have to leave early today. He was greatly upset, there was a terrible rumor going around that Higurashi-san had dropped out of school, her illnesses becoming so terrible that it had forced her to become bedridden.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
So, as any perfectly normal highschool boy, who was just a tad bit dense would do, he went and asked her brother what had happened. He cringed as he remembered what had happened..it was so..awful..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
****Insert little wavy lines to indicate a flashback..why? Because this is a flashback..duh..*********  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Souta? Is your sister alright? She has been absent longer than usual this time.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Souta, who was traveling with a strange red haired boy today, just looked at him. The boy with the long red hair sweatdropped.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh? Onee-chan? She has cancer now.", the boy stated this so calmly and nonchalant that you would think he were making it up.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
But,Houjo knew he wouldn't make up THAT! Heaven forbid anyone lie to him, he was Houjo! No one would ever lie to him! Because people, as a whole, were good, and the world was perfect, and no one ever lied.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What?! Thats terrible! My sympathies...Do you think she is going to pull through?", he asked, clearly concerned, if not hysteric.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Nope, not realy, shes pretty much as dead as a doornail already."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What?! Higurashi-san is dieing!? OH NO! This is soo awful!", 'maybe I should get her some medicine..', Houjo reasoned, because, as we all know, he was Houjo, and if Kagome had cancer, and he gave her medicine for it, she would most certainly be cured.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yep dieing, not much longer now, she might not even hold out the rest of the day...but you know what they say..don't fight a losing battle.", Souta turned to leave with the red haired boy, apperantly done with this conversation, but then he turned back around, remembering something else.."Oh, I almost forgot, if shes still alive, why don't you come to her marriage party were throwing? Its on the night of the new moon."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"WHAT!? HIGURASHI-SAN IS MARRIED?", Houjo cried in disbelief, as, he had always assumed that Kagome loved him with all her heart and intended to marry him. After all, he was Houjo, everyone loved Houjo.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yep!", this time the reply came from both Souta and the red haired boy. And then they both left, ignoring the gawking Houjo who was about to have a panic attack.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
***********************************ENd flashback....**************************************************************88  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The throroughly depressed Houjo weeped silently on his bycicle. Higurashi-san..was dieing! And married! His Higurashi-san was   
almost dead, and wed to another man.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Surely she would be alright. She would probably pull through if he just gave her some medicine. And then he could help her divorce this man she was more than likely pushed into marrying for some unknown reason. She had to have been, because Higurashi-san loved him! She had to, after all, she always went on dates with him, even when she was fighting a horrible illness, AND she half listened to him! That was proof! She had to love him!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
So, Houjo, continued on his way home, vowing to find some medicine for Kagome and help her take care of her divorce.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************A/N  
  
  
That was pure filler wasn't it? Well...I think it was pretty long..so be happy..it was good filler..right?  
Okay, I'm realy dissapointed in the lack of reviews for my last chapter, so I'm putting the review rule up again.  
  
If I don't get at least 15, you don't get another chapter.  
Sorry. But I WANT 300 reviews *laughs maniacaly*  
  
  
  
Okay, Favorite reviewers are..: Kaylana, Bunny, Vold, diamondtigress, Lady Night,amargo Scribe, Inu-chan, robgirl, admiral biatch, the ever elusive glass of whater, confuzzled, sorensen, ssj-gohan, fire demon, Nanaki, Silver Youkia, sakura angel2001, Nicole, Sb1, moonstar, and Inuyasha's love...I hope I didn't forget anyone this time. *sends them each their very own imaginary mansion..complete with a swimming pool their choice of automobile..AND their very own Hojou..*  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kaylana..Okay..I don't quite know what your going to do with TWO imaginary mansions..fill one up with jello and make a jello house?   
  
  
  
OK! PEOPLE! 15 reviews! And another chapter..otherwish..no chapter  
  
  
  
15 Reviews= New chapter  
  
  
That right  
  
Bye bye  
  
  
that girl,  
Heather 


	29. Scents and Things

Chapter?: Scents and Things  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
BUBBLES!******************A/n..To bubbles***********  
I know I know..my authors note is usualy at the bottom..but hey...Ahem..I wasn't going to update today, but I've been inspired. By the return of bubbles *runs around in circles screaming with delight* SHES BACK SHES BACK! She writes the best reviews ever! *glomps bubbles* YOUR BACK! I didn't forget you, sure, I thought you had died, but I didn't forget you! YOUR BACK! YYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAY!   
  
  
*returns horribly worn out, bubbles picture, to bubbles* It was very um..encouraging..in that inadimant object kind of way.  
  
I'm SOOOOOO GLAD YOUR BACK!! YAY!  
  
  
*glomps bubbles again*  
  
Okay..and here is the chapter...  
  
***************************************In the Future..um..present..um..Where shippo currently is..**********************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Shippo lay in Kagome's bed once again. He had been locked in Kagome's room ever since returning from school yesterday. He hadn't even waited out the school day. After talking to that wierd Houjo guy with Souta, he had gotten terrified of all the strange people and surroundings, and had took off for Kagome's house. And he had been their ever since. Their was no way he was leaving that room untill Kagome returned.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He hoped Kagome hadn't forgotten about him. He hadn't ate anything since breakfast yesterday, and that was hard on a kid like Shippo. But he didn't dare leave Kagome's room. They would make him shape shift, or go to skool, or they'd pet his tail! Souta and Mrs.Higurashi had been to Kagome's room countless times, knocking on the door, but he refused to answer, and eventualy, they went away. He would stay right where he was untill tommorow, cause tommorow, his beloved Kagome would return for him! And then he could be happy again.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*********************************BaCK WITH Shippo's beloved kagome********************************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome slowly opened her eyes. She had never ever been drunk before. Never touched a lick of alchohol, and most certainly never drank any. But, she figured, that had she ever had a hang over, this was exactly what it would feel like.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Her head hurt. Her eyes burnt. She felt..exausted.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"So your finaly awake?", She became aware for the first time of the smirking hanyou looking down at her. "Wench, if I didn't know any better, I wouldn't believe you were ever human in the first place."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She squinted, the cave was still dark, but it seemed like her eyes didn't much care whether or not what they did made sense or not, they burned anyway. "ughmmm...", Well that certainly hadn't came out right, she tried again, "Whats that supposed to mean?" There, that was better.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I wish you coulda saw yourself yesterday, I certainly had fun.", he put an arm underneath her neck and helped her up into a sitting position.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Her head throbbed, she was glad Inuyasha had helped her up, she didn't think she could of done it on her own..she was so tired.."Hentia...", she mumbled meekly.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Tired arntcha? Anyone would be after what ya did yesterday.", Kagome didn't think she had ever wanted to sit him more in her life, of course, she couldn't do that, as he was still so close to her that he would be taking her down with him.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hentia.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Don't worry, give it a few minutes and you'll be fine again, your hanyou, you'll recover your strength soon enough, bitches always get like this after the second day of their heat."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome seriously doubted she would be feeling better in a few minutes. She felt like she'd been ran over by a truck. However, she could already feel her strength returning. 'What did I do yesterday?...I don't remember a thing..". She blushed as a whole load of things she could have done passed through her mind.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha..what exactly did I do yesterday?", she questioned, scared to death of what he might say.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He smiled at her, not smirking, just smiling, "Nothing you shouldn't have done...get up, your fine..You'll recover the rest of your strenghth a lot quicker if you move around.", he offered her his hand for support.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Growling slightly, she took it and let him help her stand. He handed her his haori again, she slipped it on, realizing that she had been naked.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"You realy shouldn't growl Kagome..it realy doesn't fit you.", of course, this statement was only met with another growl, not to mention a death glare.."I figured you'd be in a bad mood today, thats why I have something that should cheer you up a little planned."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha? Plan something? She must have made him realy happy yesterday..Kagome was reluctant to stop growling, as she found it to be a rather useful new ability, but curiousity got the best of her, "What exactly are you planning?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I'm gonna teach you some stuff.", he began to lead them both out of the cave.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Teach me stuff? What exactly are you planning on teaching me?", she asked, attempting to pull her hand from his grasp.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He held her hand tighter, not about to let her pull away, why was it he had to explain everything to her? Where was that pesky flea when he needed him? "Feh, when a bitch is in heat, her senses her heightened, considering this is the last day of yer heat, your minds not focused on just fucking, so today's the best day to teach you the different smells.".  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome blushed, did he have to phrase everything so crudely? "Different smells?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha groaned. "Is it realy neccasary for you to repeat everything I say?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome wrenched her hand loose from Inuyasha's, this time succeeding, "Do you want me to have to sit you? Ooops..looks like I just did!", Kagome smirked, an expression not usualy seen on the innocent girl.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'Damn..bitches realy do have a short temper on their last heat day..'. He waited on the spell to wear off, then jumped back up. "I'll let that slide for now, but only cuz your not in your right mind." He grabbed her hand again and lead them both completely out of the cave.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Once out of the cave, Kagome found out just what Inuyasha had meant by heightened senses. The scents of everything were even stronger than before, and things were louder as well. She could do without the increased hearing, but she rather enjoyed being able to smell things even better.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha watched as her face went to absolute giddiness. It was rather amusing to watch her sniff at the air repeatedly, her grin getting larger by the second. "What I meant by teaching you some stuff, is I'm gonna teach you some basic scents, you already have began to recognize me and everyone elses scents, and you'll pick up the scents of things like flowers and shit as you go, but their are some I'll have to teach ya."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome stopped sniffing the air joyously and looked at Inuyasha. "First, were gonna go back to the hotspring and get my Kimono, I'm not gonna go running around half naked."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha thought of her school uniform, and how it exposed more than his haori did, but said nothing, you didn't wanna mess with a bitch in heat. "Fine, lets go."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
After retrieving Kagome's kimono, letting her take a quick dip in the hotspring, and then letting her get dressed, Inuyasha lead Kagome back to Kaede's village.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha? What are we doing here? I thought we were gonna go learn smells before we came back?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Thats what we're doing wench, theres no better place to find the smells I'm looking for than in a village."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Not knowing what else to do, Kagome followed her mate obediantly, they soon stopped at a small hut. Inuyasha led them both to a small window, *A/N, not one with glass panes mind you..*, quietly, they both looked inside. Inuyasha pointed to an old man sleeping on a futon. Kagome followed his finger and directed her attention on the man.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What about him?", she whispered, careful not to let anyone hear.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Do you smell that? Coming from him?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She focused all her attention on the man and the smell coming from him. She concentrated, trying to remember the smell exactly, chances were, this would be her only lesson. The smell radiating from him made her contort her face into disgust. It stank, but not in the way that someone who didn't bathe did. It stank like..unpleasantness. 'It smells like unpleasantness? Thats not even a word?! That doesn't make sense!". She was reminded of the smell of grave yards, and clammy foggy air.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Thats the death scent, hes old and hes dieing cause of it, he won't live much longer.", Inuyasha turned away from the hut, eager to get a way from that particular smell, and happy to get it over with. "Come on Kagome..theres still more."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
And so he mingled around the village untill he came across what he was looking for. A young woman, not too much older than Kagome, stood outside, gardening. Kagome could already detect the copper smell that was blood coming from the woman, blood mixed with another scent, something heavier, something that masked the blood scent and blended into something less noticable.  
Kagome already had a pretty good idea what this scent was, and was already beggining to tire of this little lesson, it was begining to get embarrassing.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Thats the smell of a woman on her cycle, I know that doesn't sound too important, but it helps to know when you should leave a woman alone, I would show ya the heat scent, since you can't smell it on yourself, but I'm not exactly real popular with most youkia..".  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome thought back to all the times she had been on her period with Inuyasha around. Not one of those times had he left her alone, not by her standards. What exactly was his definition of leaving some one alone? Only refering to them as bitch twice a day, rather than the usual seventeen? Growling slightly again, she walked past the woman, indicating to Inuyasha that she was ready to move on to the next smell.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha walked in front of her, and soon they had reached yet another destination.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
This time, the person was a young child. A little boy, he was cringing on the ground, surounded by a group of menacing older teens. Kagome looked at the poor boy, being taunted by the older ones. She automaticaly took a disliking to the smell he had. It was salty, it was spicy, and it had a quality of desperation to it. If desperation had a smell..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha glanced at the unfortunate boy, and pitied him slightly, "Thats the fear scent."  
H  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
aving had enough of watching the boys suffering, he walked into the group of boys, they immediatly backed off, screaming, as they noticed the demon in their midst. Soon they had all scattered, leaving only the little boy still on the ground, dusty, curled up into a ball, with his arms held over his head as if that would protect him. He had a few scrapes and bruises, but other than that, he appeared to be alright.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome joined Inuyasha beside the boy. Inuyasha reached down and picked the kid up by the collar of his shirt. The boy had tears running down his cheecks, and the fear scent had increased dramaticaly. After all, there was quite a difference in the neighborhood bullies, and a youkia. Inuyasha brought the boy up to eye level and looked at him dubiously. He couldn't have been any older than eight.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Wheres yer home kid?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The boy summoned up all his courage, just to answer that simple question, "O-o-over t-t-t-there..", he said, pointing to a hut not to far away. "Stop your crying! I'm not gonna hurt'cha!", figuring the boy would feel less threatened with Kagome, he practicaly tossed him to her.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Thankfully having quick reflexes, Kagome caught the frightened child. Being that she was a woman, and he was a little boy, she hugged him against her body in a motherly way.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh, come'on, lets take the whelp to his house."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha and Kagome left the boy at his doorstep, without saying a single word. The boy watched them go, dumfounded, his tears drying up finaly.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"That was nice of you Inuyasha.", Kagome acknowledged as she continued to follow him.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh, hurry up, your not a damn human any more, you can go faster than that."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sit Inuyasha.", Inuyasha fell to the ground, silently cursing whatever higher being had decided a woman had to have such a short temper when she was in heat. Kagome stood beside him, waiting on him to stand back up. She was blessesdly unaware of all the curious stares they were recieving, and all the people retreating indoors.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Finaly, Inuyasha returned to his feet, "Stop doing that!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Ignoring him, she said nothing and followed him to their next destination. A middle aged woman stood sweeping sticks off the pathway to her house. Ever so often she would stop and bring her hand to her mouth, coughing. Kagome sniffed the air that came from the woman. It smelt similair to the death scent, but lacking in the severity. Kagome looked to Inuyasha, hoping this woman wasn't dieing.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He saw her look and read her face, "Feh, don't worry, she'll be fine, thats just the sick scent, come on, lets go, thats all the scents I can think of right now."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Where are we going then?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Back to Kaedes."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"When are we going to go get Shippo?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Tommorow."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"But I'm worried about him.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Your still in heat Kagome, that scent will make him uncomfortable, its not as strong as it was, but its still there."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Knowing it was pointless to argue, Kagome simply followed, and tried not to let her temper get the best of her.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
****  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Upon arriving at Kaede's, Kagome and Inuyasha were greeted with a rather unpleasant sight, and a foreign smell.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango was just outside the door, throwing up for all she was worth into some bushes, Miroku stood beside her, holding her hair back and patting her on the back. Kagome immediatly ran to her friends side, while Inuyasha walked up slowly, smiling knowingly.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sango! Whats wrong!?", of course, being that Sango was throwing up, she couldn't very well answer her, realizing that, Kagome decided to direct her question to someone else, "Miroku? Is she ok? Whats wrong with her?!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I don't know..shes been like this for almost three days now, Kaede has been so busy grinding herbs that I can't even get her to check her out..I'm realy worried about her.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome sniffed the air, very aware of the strange smell surrounding Sango. She thought back to each smell Inuyasha had taught her. No, thankfully, this was not the death smell. It wasn't the sick smell either. None of the others would make much since, so she didn't even try to compare them. This smell was different. It wasn't like the others, the others had been a mixture of the person they belonged to, and themselves, this one wasn't blended in with Sango's own scent. It was unique, it was its own scent.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha watched as Kagome tried to place the scent, it was rather obvious that was what she was doing, as her emotions showed through right to her face. Watching Kagome's face go from dread, to relief, to concern, to relief, to puzzlement, and then simply to thoughtful, it had been amusing. Be smiled as he awaited the question that was sure to come.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha? Whats THAT smell?", And there it was, his smile changed to his usual smirk. He couldn't wait to see what they were about to say.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"That Kagome, thats the pregnant smell."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
***********************************Another Authors note*******************  
*groans* Oh god, who didn't see that coming?  
  
Well, I think that was a realy short chapter, sorry, but hey, it was a chapter.  
Thanks for all the reviews. The review rules up again though, 15 or no chapter.  
  
  
The next chapter should be out after I get those 15 reviews. SO its up to you.  
  
  
  
I AMM SOOO GLAD THAT Bubbles is back, thank her for inspiring me to get this chapter out.  
*glomps bubbles again* *sends her an imaginary Kouga..*..what DON'T you have?  
  
  
  
Yay! Ahem..Favorite reviewers are: Bubbles, Kaylana, Bunny, Vold, diamondtigress, Lady Night,amargo Scribe, Inu-chan, robgirl, admiral biatch, the ever elusive glass of whater, confuzzled, sorensen, ssj-gohan, fire demon, Nanaki, Silver Youkia, sakura angel2001, Nicole, Sb1, moonstar, and Inuyasha's love *sends them each their very own Inuyasha and Kagome, with the exception of Bubbles and Kaylana, who already have them..and bunny, if she already has them* Sends bubbles and Kaylana..(and bunny if she already had inu&kag) their very own...um..Jii-chan! You don't have him..do you?*  
  
  
  
  
Okay..rememeber, 15 reviews, and then you get a new chapter.  
  
  
15 reviews= New chapter  
  
  
  
Oh, and I urge you all to go check my bio, I updated it and it has a bit of important information. Please.  
  
  
  
That girl,  
Heather  
  
  
  
Oh, and I'm thinking of changing my Pen Name, I'll let you people vote.  
  
the choices are: Deja Vu, Jaqui (my alter ego), Despair (alter ego), Justice (Alter ego), or leave it the same.  
  
Just so you know. My ream name is heather, thats why its my pen name, but I want to change it. So tell me whatcha think.  
Pick one of the above, or say you like it just as it is. 


	30. My Child Is A Bastard

Chapter?: My Child is a Bastard  
  
  
  
************************************************  
  
"That Kagome, that is the pregnant smell.", Inuyasha informed smugly, little did he know what reactions this was about to set off.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku immediatly turned to face him. The houshi looked as if Inuyasha had just promised him the world, but he wasn't sure whether or not he was teasing. "Wh-What did you say Inuyasha?"  
  
  
  
  
  
The hanyou smirked at him, "Sango, shes pregnant."  
  
  
  
  
As any semi-normal people would do who were not currently throwing up, Kagome and Miroku stared wide eyed at Inuyasha, aperantly quite speechless  
  
  
  
"Sango's pregnant?", Kagome continued to stare in shock.  
  
  
  
  
"SOMEONE IS FINALY BARING MY CHILD?!?!", Inuyasha nodded, and, at this point, Miroku's face broke out into a smile so big, it looked painful. Almost immediatly, he ran up to Kagome, and grabbed her hands, in a way, he had become quite famous for.  
  
  
  
  
Kagome was confused, Miroku was rather..giddy, and now he had come up to her and grabbed her hands?   
  
  
  
  
  
"Lady Kagome?", the houshi continued to grin broadly, his eyes shining bright, "Will you bare my child?"  
  
  
  
"EH?!", Now, Kagome was realy realy realy confused, and was about to bash Miroku on the head for saying such a thing, and in front of Sango!  
  
  
  
  
"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING LETCH?!?!", Inuyasha had came up to the two, and appeared to be about to kill the pervert.  
  
  
  
  
Miroku quickly waved Inuyasha aside, "Just say yes Kagome!! Just do it!?!!"  
  
  
  
  
Not wanting Miroku to get killed, and fearing that he had gone insane, she reluctantly complied, "um...sure?"  
  
  
  
  
  
At this point, Miroku went into near hysterical laughter, "TOO BAD!! You CAN'T SANGO ALREADY IS!! SOMEONE IS ACTUALY BARING MY CHILD!! AND ITS ACTUALY SOMEONE I LOVE!!! MY SANGO'S having OUR baby!!"  
  
  
  
  
Kagome and Inuyasha finaly understood what had happened, Miroku, had, in fact gone insane. "Inuyasha, I think Miroku's gone crazy..", The girl freed her hands from the insane ones grasp.  
  
  
  
Inuyasha grabbed Kagome by the arm and pulled her over to himself protectively.  
  
  
  
  
Miroku's laughter had finaly died down somewhat, and, between choked laughs, he was able to get out a sentence, "I-I-I'm, Not *laugh*, Cra-*laugh* Crazy.!"  
  
  
  
  
"Oh NOOOO, my baby's gonna be a bastard! I'm having a bastard child!", It seemed as though Sango had finaly finished throwing up.  
  
  
  
  
The damnation of his first born, brought Miroku's attention immediatly to sango, he ran over to her at once, fearing SHE was the one who had gone crazy. Inuyasha and Kagome quickly followed suit.  
  
  
  
Kagome and Inuyasha stayed a good 3 feet away from the two, both still doubting their mentality. Miroku put his arm around the crying demon exterminators shoulders. "what are you talking about Sango?"  
  
  
  
"Our baby's gonna be born out of wedlock! Its gonna be a bastard child!", Sango sobbing was getting louder, pretty soon the whole village would be coming to see what was going on.  
  
  
  
"But..Sango, you said you didn't want to have a marriage ceremony, since you didn't have any real family left to have it for, remember? You said that Inuyasha, Kagome, Shippo, Kaede, and Kirara were the only people left that you would consider family, and they excepted us as married even with out the ceremony!..rememer?"  
  
  
  
"I NEVER SAID THAT!!!", Sango wailed.  
  
  
  
"Yes..you did..when we went to..um..find your boomerang?"  
  
  
  
  
"NO I DIDN't HOUSHI-SAMA!!!", Kagome and Inuyasha had both covered their sensitive ears now, Sangos crying had become pretty painful.  
  
  
  
Miroku looked crestfallen for a second, but quickly covered it up, "Sango..please don't go back to calling me that anymore, I realy prefer it when you call me by my ACTUAL name.."  
  
  
  
"Fine then! I NEVER SAID I DIDN'T WANT TO GET MARRIED, *MIROKU*!"  
  
  
  
"Um..Sango-chan, ya think you could quiet it down a little?", Kagome suggested meekly, fearing the demon exterminators wrath should she be offended.  
  
  
  
Noticing that Kirara was no where to be found, driven away by the noise, and how everyone, now including Miroku, were holding their ears, Sango quieted down somewhat. She was COMPLETLEY aware that yes, she had in fact said that to Miroku, but she wasn't about to admit it, now her feelings were different! 'Damn mood swings...'  
  
  
"Uh..Sango?", Miroku removed one hand from his ears and placed it on Sango's shoulder. "If you like, I can perform a *small* ceromony for us..I *am* a monk..."..'Anything to get her to stop crying...'  
  
  
  
Sango's face lit up, and she quickly glomped onto Miroku, "Thank you, I love you so much, THANK YOU! can you do it now? we're going to have a baby! WER'E HAVING A BABY TOGETHER!"  
  
  
  
  
It appeared as though Sango had finaly caught some of Miroku's enthusiasm.  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku kissed the top of Sango's head, truth be told, he had never performed a marriage ceremony before, and had pretty much no idea how to. "Um..sure Sango..but...Don't you wanna wait on Shippo?"  
  
  
  
  
  
Detecting the uneasy tone of Miroku's voice, Kagome understood his dilema, "He's right Sango! Why don't you wait untill Shippo's back? He would HATE to miss it, and he'd feel so left out!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh, the little brat don't hav-OOMPH", Inuyasha stopped mid sentence, the result of being jabbed in the ribs with Kagome's elbow. "Umm..yeah..wait on Shippo..feh..", Kagome smiled at him aprovingly, he growled quitely.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango frowned and backed away from Miroku, looking thoughtful."Well..I guess we could wait.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Not about to let Sango change her mind, Kagome ran over and hugged her friend, "Sango! Your pregnant! Your gonna have a little baby Miroku!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome backed away from Sango, realizing what she had just said.'Another Miroku..?', involuntarily, she shuddered.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Lets hope its a baby *Sango*.", Inuyasha grumbled, discomforted once again with the idea of little Miroku's running around.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Whats wrong with her having a boy?", Miroku asked defensively.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"One hentai is enough.", Sango informed her husband-to-be with a pat on the head, she then turned to Inuyasha and Kagome, "You can't tell if its a boy or girl, can you?"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome, not knowing much about being a hanyou except that being in heat was embarrasing, and being able to detect a few smells, shrugged her shoulders, while Inuyasha looked reluctant to bestow any more information, he was growing tired of being so nice.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh.", Yep, there, he had succeded in regaining some of his stubborness.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"INUYUSHA! TELL SANGO OR I'LL 'SIT' YOU!!", Inuyasha promptly crashed to the ground, grumbling something about 'damn youkia heats..'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"NOW Inuyasha, answer her!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Can't you at least wait till the spell wears off?", His voice was muffled noticably by the dirt.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku brought his staff down upon the hanyous head. "Must you be so stubborn Inuyasha? Sango wants to know whether or not she has to be afraid of her child.", As he said this, he cast a glare in Sango's direction, still offended that she hoped she wouldn't have a baby like him.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha lept from the ground and casualy dusted himself off, the spell having worn off, "Don't do that again letch, I WAS going to answer! You just didn't give me anytime. Sango, our not pregnant enough that I could tell yet!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Pregnant enough?", Sango repeated, not quite understanding his wording.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yeah, me and Kagome were only gone four days, and you weren't pregnant before we left or I would have smelled it, so you can't be more than four days pregnant, for a human, it'll take about a month or two before I can smell the gender!", he smiled smugly, once again proud that he knew something they didn't.  
  
  
  
  
"Oh...OH NOT AGAIN!", Sango turned away from them and began to throw up again. Being the concerned husband-to-be that he was, Miroku obediantly took his role beside Sango, holding her hair back with one hand, and rubbing her stomache with the other.The two were obviously in their own little world.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*****  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango had long since gone inside the hut to lie down, not feeling particularly well for obvious reasons, and Miroku had joined her, to watch over her. Sango had tried again and again to convince him that she was just pregnant, NOT dieing, however, this didn't seem to have any affect over him.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kaede had finaly finished with all her herb grinding, and, finaly noticing the world around her, she had turned to Sango, and informed her that she, 'thought she might be pregnant'.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
This did not go over to well with the demon exterminator, and Kaede had made a mental note not to grind herbs unless she was alone..she knew how she could get when she was grinding herbs..she put her full heart and self into it...how she loved to grind herbs..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha and Kagome sat outside in a tree with Kirara. Each of them had quickly grown tired of a mood swinging Sango, even Inuyasha had decided that Kagome with a heat temper was better than those moodswings of Sango's.. so now here they were, just enjoying the bright sunny day.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"You know..I could get used to these trees..", Kagome was on a branch directly above Inuyasha, laying upon it on her stomache, her arms draping over the limb and occasionaly fiddling with the hanyous ears below her. Kirara lay snuggled up on her back.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh..leave my ears alone or I'm gonna mess with yours and make you purr again!" Quickly, he caught the hand she was bringing down to rub his years yet again. He placed it back up with her. "Keep your hands up there with you Kagome."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Not listening to him, she brought her hand down again to pet his ears. He growled, but soon that turned into a purr, and he decided he might as well just let her go ahead.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Miroku doesn't know how to perform a marriage ceremony..thats why he wanted to wait till' Shippo got back, buy him some time..though I don't know HOW hes gonna be able to find any time with Sango like she is.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The mention of marriage reminded Inuyasha of something that had been bothering him earlier, "Kagome..I know you used to always day dream about all that marriage and girly shi-erm..stuff..but you didn't even get to have one...do you regret that?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome sighed heavily, she had in fact wanted to have a big wedding with her family, what girl didn't? But it was only a wedding, she could do without it, the important thing was she had Inuyasha, and that was more than enough for her. "Inuyasha, I have you, I won't regret anything as long as I have you...I would have liked to have had a wedding..but that would have been impossible..its ok.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kagome..", he reached up and rubbed her own ears.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"HEY!", she attempted to swat his hand away, but realized she didn't realy mind, and soon she was purring softly, perfectly content.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kagome...when we live to your old time..I'll find a way for us to get married then..by then I will understand all of that wierd stuff that gos on then, and it'll be easier...we can have a ceremony then..for now, just remember that we are mates, and that means a lot more that the terms 'husband', and 'wife'...they don't even allow youkia marriages now..but in your time they won't even know we are youkia..somehow..how does that sound Kagome?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kagome?"  
  
  
  
  
  
It was then that he realized the girl must havefallen asleep. "Stupid wench..just when I have something NICE to say..", he smiled slightly.."I guess you HAVE gotten used to trees..and you've only slept in one once.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
It was barely midday, not near time for either of them to go to sleep, but Kagome was obviously tired from all the..'things', she had done while in heat...and, since Inuyasha had nothing better to do, he decided he might as well take a nap as well, better that than face the scary pregnant woman.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Worried that she might fall, or more likely just because he wanted too, Inuyasha picked up Kagome and brought her onto his branch. He leaned up against the trunk with her in his lap, soon, Kirara had came down and lain in Kagome's lap.  
  
  
  
"Damn cat..if its not Shippo being a nuisance, then its Kirara..."  
  
  
  
Kagome smiled the smallest of smiles, hoping Inuyasha wouldn't notice.  
  
  
  
  
********************** WITH SESHY-MARU!***************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Seshy-maru walked on, as he had done for quite sometime now on his search for Kagura. Rin had not spoken since yesterday, as he still had not forgiven her for the new dreadful nickname she had given him. The search for Kagura was drawing to a close. It wouldn't be much longer now...probably only another day...that is, if she didn't go flying off on that damn feather again.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Seshy-Maru was growing tired of the boring silence, "Rin, you can talk now."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Thank you Seshy-shoumaru-sama!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"RIN! WHAT DID I TELL YOU! NOW YOUR CALLING ME SESHY-SHOUMARU!!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I'm sorry...please don't make Rin not talk again..". Her voice trembled, it was clear that she did NOT enjoy not being able to talk to her Seshy-shou-maru.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Rin...", he sighed, "why do I even bother..."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"W-w-what?", Rin didn't like the way his voice sounded...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Why do I even take you with me? Why do I watch over you like this!? Your a blasted human wench!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Rin tried to contain the tears that were falling down her cheeks, she made not a sound, but the tears came none the less..'Seshy..wants to leave Rin?'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"No! Please don't leave RIN! PLEASE DON'T! I'll call you Seshoumaru-sama! Please don't leave Rin...Rin loves you! Don't abandon Rin!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Seshoumaru sighed again. He hated the way the sound of her pleading voice was making his heart break..that involuntary emotion it was bringing. He brought the girl down off of his shoulders and placed her on the ground.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
By now, Rin was no longer silent, her Seshy-maru was leaving her! He had put her down! And now he was going to leave her!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Please No!! No..don't leave Rin.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Seshoumaru stared down at the weeping girl, wandering why it was that her tears made him feel this way...daring himself to leave..trying to force himself to..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sighing yet again, he picked Rin up, not even bothering to but her on his shoulders, instead, cradling her in his arms, letting her lay her head down on his tail. **A/N...*snicker*....**  
  
  
  
  
He looked at her tearstained face, she appeared shocked and hopeful. Averting his gaze to the trail in front of him, he brought her a little closer..  
  
  
  
  
  
"Rin..I won't leave you..I can't...ever.."  
  
  
  
  
  
The little girl stopped crying and smiled slightly, burring her face in Seshy-maru's tail.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He didn't know why he couldn't leave her, the little human girl that loved him so much. She was only a week human, and he was Lord of The Western lands! Could it be that he might love her too? Just a little bitty bit..?  
  
  
  
He sighed once more..'What have I turned in to?'  
  
  
  
*****Authors Note********  
  
Sorry this took so long to get out.  
Next chapter should be out soon.  
I Promise.  
PLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEAASE REVIEW!!!  
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!  
REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!  
  
  
Favorite Reviewers: Everyone who reviewed last chapter. To name a few, Vold, Kaylana, SakuraAngel, Sb1, tortured soul, lyndz, Tsukinoko, Sorensen...Those are the ones I can name off the top of my head...Which means you people are realy Special..woohoo..but EVERYONE who reviewed the last chapter is on my list. So..yeah..*sends all of my favorite reviewers an imaginary Ayame*  
  
I decided to leave my Pen name as it is, because most peopl either said it, or Despair, so..yeah..  
  
  
-Heather-  
  
  
15 Review rule is in effect-  
  
  
REEEEEEEEEEEEEVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEIIIIIIIIIIIW 


	31. Too Tranquil for Comfort

Chapter 31: To Tranquil For comfort  
  
  
  
  
*****************************************************************************  
  
"Well, I guess we better be going then, are you sure you guys don't wanna go?" , Kagome stood next to Inuyasha, backpack over her shoulder, in the entrance to Kaede's hut.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango absent mindedly put one hand over her stomach, as if protecting the unborn child from any threat there might be, "No…um…the forest fires..remember?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha rolled his eyes, "Oh right…the 'forest fires'.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Ever since Miroku had found out that Sango was with child, only yesterday afternoon, he had become even more protective than Inuyasha, and, now was no exception, "Inuyasha! Kagome! Are you insane?!! Time traveling might kill the baby!!", he came up behind Sango and folded his arms across her belly, resulting in a groan of irritation from the demon exterminator.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha and Kagome stared at the two blankly, Inuyasha, knowing this wasn't going to go anywhere, grabbed Kagome's back pack from her shoulder, and left, "I'll be at the well Kagome."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Um..ok..I won't be long.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
As soon as she knew that her mate was surely out of hearing distance, her face grew serious, "Miroku, Sango…I really really think you should go with us…I feel…like something bad is going to happen..Everywhere I look I feel a deep foreboding…please reconsider?", she smiled at the two half heartedly, "I'm sure the forest fires will be ok for just a day or two…"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango hesitated a moment. She didn't want to admit to Kagome, much less herself, that she had been having the same feeling…Kagome was right…things just didn't feel right..But no, that had to just be her imagination..and it wasn't like she couldn't take care of herself! She was a demon exterminator! She even had Miroku to help her out…besides, it was probably just maternal instinct kicking in anway..right?   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Don't worry Kagome, me and Miroku will be just fine! You don't have to worry about us! Your probably just imagining things..what do we have to worry about anyway? The Shikon no Tama is gone..and so is Naraku…we'll be fine..Right Miroku?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku didn't know who to agree with. Shouldn't they just go with Kagome to be on the safe side? Sango WAS carrying HIS child..shouldn't he protect it? Make sure it wasn't in the least bit of danger? And Sango was practically his wife now too! Didn't he have some kind of responsibility over her? He needed to protect his family..but at the same time, what Sango said made since too. Naraku was dead, and the Shikon no Tama was gone..who would bother them now? Minor Youkia? He had taken care of them on his own before..granted, he had the help of a hole in his hand that sucked things up..like that thing Kagome had..a..a..what was it called?  
  
  
  
  
"Um…RIGHT Miroku??"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"A Vacuum! That's it!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What?", Sango and Kagome stared at the houshi, Sango reached her hand back to see if he had a fever.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh..um..I'm fine..I don't know Sango..Kagome DOES have miko powers…don't you think we should take what she has to say seriously?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango broke away from him angrily, "Miroku! Kagome is just *imagining things*, she's probably just used to bad things happening, so her mind is telling her that something SHOULD be happening bad..so she's *imagining* it…RIGHT Kagome?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome looked back and forth between her two friends. Maybe Sango was right…she must have been right, she probably WAS just imagining things..it made sense..and if no one else thought anything felt wrong..why worry? Or piss off an already angry pregnant woman? "Your probably right Sango..Just my imagination..I guess I'm gonna go then before Inuyasha gets mad..Bye.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku sighed, not sure whether or not he had made the right decision…if he had even had any part at all in the decision.."Bye.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango smiled brightly, it seemed forced, but she smiled anyway.."Don't worry Kagome, We'll be *fine*! We've even got Kirara to take care of us! We will be *fine*, Bye!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome hesitated a moment, was it really just her imagination? 'Of course it is..don't be a baka..'   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome left.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*******************************************************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Took ya long enough!", Inuyasha was pacing in front of the well.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome stifled a giggle, "Inuyasha, I think this is the first time you've ever said that actually referring to going *TO* my old time."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha shot her a glare, "What took you so long?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The girl looked at the ground, "um..nothing….?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sure, and Miroku and Sango really ARE watching for forest fires..Lets just go, if your not gonna tell me.", Obviously, Inuyasha wasn't too happy about Kagome keeping something from him.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Before Kagome could even apologize, she was tugged into the well, and in she fell..into the future.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
***************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Mom?", Kagome opened her front door, Inuyasha was a few steps behind her, he hadn't said a word in the few minutes since they had 'jumped' into the well, even if it hadn't been that long, Kagome knew he was mad at her, and it was really annoying her, "Look Inuyasha..Why are you mad at me?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"feh."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"OH SWEETY! YOUR BACK AGAIN!! You came for your little friend didn't you!? I don't think he's been feeling to well..he hasn't even left your room in almost 2 days now…oh dear..maybe Souta shouldn't have took him to school that day..", Kagome's mom had arrived on the scene, postponing Inuyasha andKagome's argument for now, as always, she was her usual happy bubbly self.Kagome immediately pasted a smile on her face, and, was quite relieved to find that Inuyasha's whole demeanor had changed, he had almost immediately closed the distance between them and was now holding her around her waist, no doubt smiling brightly..well..smiling brightly for Inuyasha.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hey mom!..umm..what did you say about Shippo.?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"KAGOME KAGOME KAGOME!!!", the little kitsune scampered into the room quickly and jumped up into Kagome's arms, "Oh Kagome, I was sooooo scared you were gonna leave me here for ever! These people are so scary! They made me go to 'skkkooool', and they scream a lot, and they pinch my cheeks and and..it was so scary.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome secured her hold on Shippo, wandering just what he had been put through.  
  
  
"Shut up brat, don'tcha know its rude to say mean things about someone's family? Unless of course its Seshoumaru…"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome's mom seemed to have paid no mind to Shippo's comments, "Oh sweety, How long do you and your,", Kagome's mom let out a girlish giggle, "'mate' plan on staying here?..you were soooo quick to leave last time.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome blushed, remembering just why she had to leave so soon last time, Shippo tensed in her arms, probably remembering as well, Inuyasha's smile only got bigger.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Umm..Inuyasha…How long are we going to be staying.?" Her voice came out sickeningly sweet, the fake smile not wavering an inch.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Okay, that was too much, if he was going to smile and hug her like everything was alright, just for show, why ever the heck he was doing that, than he could also answer her questions.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What was that dog boy said sweety?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Shippo buried his face further into Kagome's shirt, he could tell they had had a fight, he wasn't quite as dense as Kagome's mom, and right now, he knew the best thing to do was stay out of it.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh mom..I *think*", Kagome took a few steps away from Inuyasha, "That he said 'sit'"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"OOMPH.", 'Do not call her a bitch in front of her mother, do NOT do it..do NOT do it..you can get her back later…DON'T DO IT!!", Inuyasha tried his best to talk himself out of letting out the string of curse words he was accustomed to in this situation.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Wow Kagome, your mate is kind of clumsy isn't he..", Kagome's mom leaned down and patted Inuyasha on the head.."Why isn't he getting up?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Um..I dunno, I guess he just likes the floor."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Shippo laughed into Kagome's shirt, hoping it would muffle out the sound..It didn't. Inuyasha growled.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Why is he making that weird noise Kagome? He's upsetting Buyo!", Kagome's cat darted across the room with a hiss.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Um..That sound just means he's hungry..Why don't you make some dinner?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Dinner!? That's a *wonderful* idea!"  
Soon, Kagome was left standing in the entrance hall with Shippo and Inuyasha.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome sniffed at the air, "that's odd..I don't smell Souta..or Jii-chan.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha pried himself off the ground, completely ignoring Kagome. He stood sulking, still mad about whatever he was mad about.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Shippo finally relinquished his hold on Kagome, "Souta went with Jii-chan to the den-tist…"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Weren't you in my room all day?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Shippo pointed to his ears, "Er..Kagome, I've got pretty good hearing, remember? Sheesh, hanging around dog boy is starting to mess with you mind."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha promptly grabbed Shippo from Kagome, held him by the tail, and flung him into the wall.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha!!! Why did you do that!?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"INUYASHA! Why are you acting like such a jerk all of a sudden? You were so nice to me for such a long time, and now your back to being mean again! Ugh, sometimes your infuriating!", With that, Kagome stormed off to her room and locked the door.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Gee, what'd you do this time?", Shippo inquired as he too followed Kagome, barely dodging Inuyasha's reach for his tail.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha wandered off into the kitchen, after all, this wasn't HIS fault..so what if Kagome didn't understand all the rules of being a mate..it still wasn't HIS fault…"stupid girl", 'Now she's all mad and shit…Its not *my* fault..she'll calm down in a little while, she always does.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
However, Kagome didn't come out of her room, she stayed up there for hours, catching up on schoolwork she had no need for. She didn't even let Shippo in, she wanted to be alone..She knew she was overreacting, but she was really stressed, she was really worried about Sango and Miroku…and then Inuyasha just had to be such a jerk! She was probably still hormonal anyway, this being the first day she was off of heat and all.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha ate dinner with Kagome's family, Jii-chan and Souta having returned. Currently, he was sitting down watching the 'Tee.Vee' with Souta, whilst worrying about Kagome, He didn't bother her, being to stubborn himself to apologize, they had just had a little fight anyway…it wasn't like she was going to leave him! She couldn't do that..'Could she?', as soon as that possibility entered his mind he was off the couch and on his way to Kagome's room in a second.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Mrs.Higurashi, assuming that he was going to bed, it was late after all, bid him goodnight.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*********  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha was surprised to find Shippo asleep against Kagome's door, he had thought he was with her, if he had known she was alone he would have been there all along. Now he truly felt guilty..He had just been being a jerk, it wasn't Kagome's fault that she didn't know that much about being a youkia mate..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He knocked lightly on the door, knowing full well that it would be impossible for her not to notice with her hanyou ears, "Kagome?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
No answer.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kagome?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
No answer.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He nudged Shippo with his foot, "wake up brat, what's she doing in there?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Shippo growled stubbornly, having been having a delightful dream involving a world full of candy, all for him, "I dunno, she won't even answer me..What did you do to her?..Is she alright?", Shippo was now fully awake, as various scenarios in which Kagome had died tragically in her room flashed in his mind. "Inuyasha! Save her!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha looked at the little fluff ball at his feet quizzically. He picked him up by his tail, but, instead of flinging him into a wall, he held him out at arms length, as if he were the most disgusting piece of garbage around, but he had to pick him up anyway, "Shut up! I'm trying!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kagome! I KNOW you can hear me! Now let me in..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A moment of silence, and then.."No."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Why the hell not??!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"HEY! YOUR NOT SUPPOSED TO SAY THAT!! That's mine! Open the door Kagome or I'll eat Shippo!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Shippo shuddered, he wasn't in the mood to die.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A strangled giggle came from Kagome's room, but that was the only response he got.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'Damnit, she trusts me too much..' Inuyasha squeezed Shippo's tail until he knew it was painful, "Be still, I'm not gonna eat you! And, unfortunately Kagome knows that too…OPEN THE DOOR!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Stop saying that! YOUR NOT ME!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Now open the door or I'll break it down!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
This time he heard her sigh, which was followed by footsteps and the unmistakable sound of a door knob turning.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'Good..at least she knows I'd do that..'. The door opened and there stood Kagome, white hair and ears, but wearing her school uniform.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha stared at her, afraid that she really was going to leave him. "your..not…leaving me..are you?", Inuyasha's voice was trembling.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Eh?", This had caught Kagome completely off guard, 'leave him? What did mom put in the ramen?'  
"Leave you? Why would I leave you?", she glanced down at her attire, maybe that was what was bothering him, "Um..my Kimono's in the washer, my mom wanted to wash."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha shoved past Kagome and into her room, not about to get locked out again. Kagome turned around and locked the door.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Um..Inuyasha? What are you doing with Shippo?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha noticed the squirming kitsune still in his grasp, he threw him to Kagome and grinned sheepishly.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Why did YOU lock me out?!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Why were YOU mad at me?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
" WHY DID YOU LIE TO ME!!?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What?", 'When did I lie to him?'..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"You said that you weren't doing nothing back with Sango and Miroku! You were talking to them about something important, you were just waiting on me to leave so that you could discuss it with them!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"How do you know that?!", Kagome was shocked that he could know all this, tired of standing, she went over and sat on her bed.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh! Your scent!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"My scent told you ALL of that? Then why in the hell did you not know things like that a month ago? Why couldn't you tell I loved you 'just by my scent' for all those months?! What the heck was wrong with your nose then!?. Kagome was growing angry, just the thought that he had known things like that since he met her..and never told her..it was infuriating!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"No baka! I can only read your scent so well cause you're my mate! Don't you know ANYTHING about being mated?"  
  
  
  
Kagome sighed, "Inuyasha…I've been human up until just recently, I can't say that I know that much about youkia mating habits.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Shippo clutched onto Kagome, he hated being in the middle of fights, and he knew that right now it was wise to be quite, and hope that you were ignored. He also knew that Kagome was getting sad! And it was all Inuyasha's fault.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha sat beside Kagome and wrapped his arm around her, "I…I'm sorry..I guess you don't..which makes my reason for being mad at you pretty stupid.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well, what was it?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"umm….mates don't ever keep important things from each other Kagome…ever.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome relaxed into Inuyasha's hold, feeling slightly guilty, she only kept it from him because she didn't want him to worry.." I'm sorry too.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What was it?…that you were keeping from me…"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Your gonna think I'm stupid but…I just feel like something's not right..like something bad is about to happen..I thought Sango and Miroku would be safer with us.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh don't worry about it……….your probably just imagining things, and besides, Miroku and Sango can take care of themselves."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yeah..that's what Sango said…but..I don't know..I'm sorry for keeping it from you.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Don't worry Kagome! Sango and Miroku will be fine!", apparently Shippo had decided it was safe for him to talk now.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh Shippo! I forgot you were here! Hey, guess what?", Kagome patted the kitsune's head affectionately.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh yeah..I'm sure he'll be real excited about this.", Inuyasha rolled his eyes.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"SANGO'S PREGNANT!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Shippo didn't seam the least bit surprised, "Yeah, I figured she would be."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"W-what?", Kagome looked at Shippo in disbelief.  
  
  
  
  
"Well, after all the times her and Miroku were doing the 'adult thing', she'd have to be barren to not get pregnant yet."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome and Inuyasha were beginning to seriously doubt his so-called child-like innocence.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What?! You knew!? What?! AHH"." Kagome gaped at him in shock, unable to complete an intelligent sentence.  
  
  
  
  
  
Deciding that maybe that hadn't been the best thing to say, Shippo switched the subject, "so, I guess they'll be getting their own house soon?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"House? What?", Kagome, as well as the others, had not yet realized that with the Shikon no Tama complete and Naraku dead, they had no need to wander around aimlessly anymore..they could finally settle down.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh..yeah.", Inuyasha stared dumbly at the kitsune.."If she's having a pup then they'll have to get a house to raise it in.."  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome stared accusingly at Inuyasha, "What about us Inuyasha!? Why don't we need a house??"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha made a big show of sniffing at Kagome, "Nope, your not pregnant, no need for a house."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What?!?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Shippo felt compelled to explain, "Kagome…youkia like Inuyasha don't usually ever..'settle down', they usually just wander around unless they're having a pup, and then they settle down only until the pup's old enough to wander with them…"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome stared at Inuyasha in shock. "what?!"  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha crossed his arms defiantly, "well where's the adventure in just staying in one place your whole life?!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome was astounded, "HAVEN'T YOU HAD *ENOUGH* ADVENTURE IN YOUR LIFE!!?"  
  
  
  
  
"Feh."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha! I'm NOT going to wander around my whole life! We are going to have a house!"  
  
  
  
"Kagome, I don't think your aware that your life span has increased a whole lot, your gonna get bored after a while."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome thought this over and realized he was right.."Well..how about we have a house..but we wander around…but we still have a home that will always be ours? That we can raise our…", Kagome blushed…"pups in? speaking of which…"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha snorted, "Fine, that's what I *planned* to do anyway!, you shouldn't listen to everything the little whelp says! And I already told you, your not pregnant, you should be in not too long though…probably after your next heat..usualy it doesn't take on the first heat…but..the second is a different story..", he smiled, he looked forward to the day that he and Kagome would have their own little pup's running around..one's that looked NOTHING like Shippo..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome glared at Inuyasha, and looked pointedly at the kitsune grinning In her lap.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kagome, I don't think you gotta worry to much about Shippo's virgin ears, he's already proved that they're pretty tainted."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Shippo started sulking so she brought him up to her face and nuzzled into his neck, without even thinking about it, she bit into the nape of it. And then, just as quickly, threw the kitsune a crossed the room in a manner reminiscent of Inuyasha.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"WHAT DID I JUST DO THAT FOR!? OH KAMI!? I DIDN' T JUST CLAIM HIM AS MY MATE OR ANYTHING DID I?!?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Shippo sat on the floor, grinning from ear to ear.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Damnit Kagome! Damnit Damnit damnit…why did you have to go and do that?!", Inuyasha pounded his fist upon the bed every time he said the word damnit.  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome was beginning to get scared, she wasn't sure what had made her compelled to do that, and she had no idea what it meant..but Shippo sure was happy about it.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Come' ere you little whelp.", Inuyasha demanded, sighing, he knew what he had to do, now that Kagome had gone and done 'that'.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Ugh.."  
  
  
  
  
  
Shippo, though timidly, approached Inuyasha, the hanyou picked him up by the tail. Inuyasha sat him on his knee and inspected the bite marks on the nape of his neck. Shippo sat there obediently, still smiling.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Damnit Kagome.", Inuyasha brought a finger up to his mouth and sunk his fangs into it. He rubbed the blood into the wound on Shippo's neck.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome was, terrified.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha continued to rub the blood into the bit marks until Shippo, and his own, youkia skin healed over. Once that was done, Shippo looked at Inuyasha, somewhat surprised. The hanyou shrugged, and, after having that *deep* (sarcasm) conversation with Inuyasha, Shippo glomped onto Kagome.  
  
  
  
  
  
"What did I do…?", Kagome asked, dreading the answer, she just knew she had done something absolutely terrible.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Damnit Kagome, you proclaimed Shippo as your own."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"W-What?"  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha tried to think of an analogy he could use for Kagome, then he remembered something he had been watching on the tee.veee today, "Kinda like on that comm-ersh-al I was watching today that was talking about those a-dopt-ons.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"A-dopt-ons? Adoptions?! I just adopted Shippo?", Kagome breathed a sigh of relief, that was not near as bad as all the other possibilities there were, in fact, that wasn't bad at all.."So..what were you doing with your finger and all?"  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha grumbled something inaudible.  
  
  
  
  
"Eh?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"I…um…adopted him too..ONLY cause you did! I couldn't have my mate having a pup without me! That's just not right! Everyone would think that you had went off and mated with a kitsune or something.."  
  
  
  
  
"And by everyone I suppose you mean Sango and Miroku…oh and lets not forget Kirara!", Kagome's voice was layered with sarcasm."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha ignored her and pointed to Shippo, he was sleeping soundly in his new 'mother's' lap.  
  
  
  
  
"Lets just go to bed Kagome, you barely got to see your family today, so I guess your gonna want to stay another day right?  
  
  
  
  
Kagome faltered a minute, her thoughts falling back to her worries for her other friends five hundred years away..'Just my imagination…that's all..'..  
  
  
  
  
"Right Inuyasha…I want to stay another day.."  
  
  
  
  
After all…what harm could it really do?  
  
  
  
  
  
************************************Seshys Update*********************************  
  
  
  
"Rin, remind me to kill the god's next time I get a chance.", Sesshoumaru had stopped in his tracks suddenly.  
  
  
"Why Seshy-shou-maru-sama.?". Seshy-maru winced, but didn't reprimand her, they had agreed that if she had to call him anything BUT Seshoumaru-sama, Seshy-shou-maru-sama was the next best thing..just as long as she didn't use it around anyone else, especialy his half breed brother.  
  
  
"Because, we finally arrived at where that damn Kagura was supposed to be, and she's not here! Her scent is fresh…we JUST missed her.."  
  
  
  
Rin patted Seshy-maru on the head, careful not to mess up his pretty hair, "Okay, I'll remind you.."  
  
  
Seshy-maru had the smallest of smiles on his face as he continued on his hunt for the wind woman…of course, it could have just been a twitch, or maybe a bug flew to close to him or something..but it looked kinda like a smile.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
****A/N***************************************************************************  
Sorry it took so long to get this out, I've been busy, and I have also been revising the first few chapters of this story, proofreading, ect. It needed it..I'm still not done with that, but I figured I should get an update out since I'm gonna be out of town for the weekend. That means no update on this till after I'm back, Of course, I will be updating 'Wish Away' first…even though it doesn't have much reviewers..but oh well…This is my longest chapter yet…Not including the authors not it had 3736 words..Thats a lot for me.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
I AM SO HAPPY TO SAY THAT I HAVE FINALY RECEIVED MY FOUR HUNDRETH REVIEW  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Lord Agamus was my 400th reviewer, so, for that, he gets a prize *sends Lord Agamas an imaginary   
Inuyasha*  
  
  
  
  
  
Oh dear god..Here are my favorite reviewers..theres gonna be a lot of them..:Bubbles, Kaylana, Bunny, Vold, diamondtigress, Lady Night,amargo Scribe, Inu-chan, robgirl, admiral biatch, glass of water, confuzzled, sorensen, ssj-gohan, fire demon, Nanaki, Silver Youkia, sakura angel2001, Nicole, Sb1, moonstar, and Inuyasha's love, eddie, aisuru, Azn Gurl , Tsukinoko, Cherry-wolf, Cryxine, ambereyes, Inu-luna, danie, superbakagirl, lilinuyashamunky, hopeless romantic, lyndz.  
  
  
Okay I *think* that is all of you, *sends every fave reviewer an Inuyasha character of their   
choice*  
  
  
  
Okay. Like I said, I have been revising old chapters, so, if it says that my fic has been updated, and there isn't a new chapter, its because I reposted an old chapter, they are, much better if I do say so myself, and, Tsukinoko, I did what you asked regarding their sleeping positions in chapter 3..or 4 whatever it was…Okay. Bye bye.  
  
  
Oh, and by the way..did you notice the foreshadowing?  
  
foreshadowing:  
adj : indistinctly prophetic  
n : providing vague advance indications  
  
  
  
Yeah, in case you didn't notice, Something BAD is going to happen..  
  
  
  
Okay..PLEASE review  
  
  
  
  
By the way..did anyone notice I finaly got a program with spell check?  
  
  
REVIEW REVIEW REIVEIW!!!!!  
  
  
If you do not R&R, I will hex you.  
  
That girl,  
-Heather- 


	32. In Their Absence

Chapter?: In their Absence  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango and Miroku sat on the hard floor of Kaede's hut, the old miko was grinding herbs again. They were both extremely bored...however, that wasn't to last long.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango was feeling relieved, this was the second day of Kagome and Inuyasha's absence and so far, all was normal. Yesterday her and Miroku had decided to spend the day in search of somewhere that she could find a new battle suit, her usual one having been shredded to bits in the fight with Naraku. She was a demon exterminator, even with Naraku dead, that was her job, and a demon exterminator needs a demon exterminator attire. After a long day of riding on kirara, they had finally thought to look in Sango's old village. Of course, going back brought painful memories, but in the end it was worth it, as she happened to find her spare demon exterminator outfit in the ruins. As soon as she had found it, she had happily put it on, apparently having missed wearing it quite a bit. She hadn't taken it off since. But now there was nothing to do, but watch Kaede grind herbs. However, Sango was quite thankful for the tranquility, that little premonition of Kagome's having unsettled her .  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miroku was nervous as hell. What was Sango trying to do? Put their child in as much a threat as possible? First, she had ignored Kagome's warning, opting to stay where Kagome felt it was not safe. Fine, he could deal with that, Kagome *WAS* paranoid. But then, she had spent the whole day they were gone, out searching for a new battle suit! On top of a flying cat demon! Sango could have fallen off Kirara and died, or they could have been attacked by a horrible demon! What was she thinking? And now she was acting normal! Didn't that warning of Kagome's bother her at all?   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kaede loved herbs. She loved the smell of them, the feel of them, and just the sight of them. Grinding herbs was her life. They could cure the ill, lighten a mood, they were fantastic! What *couldn't* they do? 'OH NO! I'm missing something!!'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sango, Miroku! I'm missing a certain herb!", the old lady was clearly upset, an herb was missing!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'herb? What if Sango thought it was food and accidentally ate it? What if it kills our baby? Herbs are so dangerous!?'. Miroku was speechless, paralyzed by fear.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango looked at the old woman curiously. "Um..okay."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"No child, you must go find me another herb of this kind, lest all will be lost!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"OH NO!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango looked to her husband-to-be that had just screamed in terror. And *she* was the one who was supposed to be hormonal? Miroku was acting unreasonably over protective. She let out a sigh. "If its that important, me and Miroku can just go find some more for you, just tell us what it looks like and we'll find it."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"But Sango! Do you have any idea how dangerous that could be!?", Miroku looked to Sango as if such an idea were insane.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh yeah Miroku, those herbs might jump out of the ground, and cram themselves down our throats, thus choking us.", Sango stared at him blandly, "Kaede? What do they look like and where might we find them?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The old miko smiled, relieved that not all was lost, "Just head east a little ways, it's a small brown plant, usually with only four perfectly oval leaves. It is easily spotted, and the only one that grows in that area, surely you will be able to find it."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Alright, come on Miroku, we won't be long." , Sango stood up, and glared at Miroku so that he would do the same.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Thank you child, this is very appreciated!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"But Sango…its dangerous.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"ITS *HERBS* Miroku!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Fine.", Miroku wasn't exactly raring to go, but at least he had stood up, "we'll go on your little life risking escapade."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"HERB GATHERING MIROKU! We are going herb gathering!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Whatever you want to call it."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hmpf."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
********  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The two followed the directions of Kaede, and, just as she had said, soon arrived at a small clearing filled with herbs just as she had described.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango bent down to pick an herb, smiling wryly, "See Miroku, the herbs aren't out to get us.". She waited on him to respond with something witty or perhaps just a grunt.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
What she got was nothing near what she had expected.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Don't move Sango. Whatever you do. Don't move."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She didn't like that tone in his voice, that tone that he was trying desperately to hide, to try to just sound calm. Underneath that false calmness, he had almost succeeded in hiding something else, fear, and absolute desperation..Sango was terrified..the herbs weren't *REALY* out to get them? Were they? She didn't move.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Without warning, all of her surroundings went black. She could see nothing. Immediately she was reminded of the fight with Naraku, the darkness that she had experienced there..the darkness that had rendered her helpless…Only one thing was different. This was darker.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Ignoring the fear, and the way that it felt like her insides had been caught in her throat, she tried her best to keep from trembling. Miroku had told her not to move, the only warning he had given her..and she was damn well going to listen to him…she should have in the first place. Maternal instinct was desperately trying to force her to bring her arms over her stomach, to protect her child. That was the hardest thing to resist.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She could hear Miroku breathing behind her, raspy panicky breaths of air. He was just as terrified as her. At least he knew what was going on apparently! From the direction the sound of his breathing was coming from, he was still standing, not frozen crouching on the ground grasping the stem of an herb, stuck in the act of being about to tear it from the ground.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She opened her mouth and tried to form a sentence, no words came out, she tried again. "Miroku…what….is….going….on…". her voice came out in a haggard whisper, and her words were spaced out, each one in-between a gasp for air…it was the strangest thing..she felt like she just couldn't get enough oxygen…'that probably isn't a good thing…'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sango. There is an extremely evil aura about this place, one that rivals Naraku's, whoever it belongs to has put up a barrier, the strongest barrier I have ever seen, it has blocked out all the sunlight..and..the rest of the air. Try to slow down your breathing…our air is limited."  
  
  
  
  
  
'No this really isn't good.'  
  
  
  
***************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He knew he should have listened to Kagome, he knew he should have went with instinct. And now here he was anyway, stuck in a relatively small barrier, one that had cut off the usually limitless supply of air. And he couldn't see a thing…at least with Naraku he could sense his presence. But with this thing..whatever it was..he couldn't sense a thing…well..he could sense evil..but it was everywhere.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He had heard about creatures like this. Ones that formed barriers to block out the light, to trap you. And, eventually, smother you, that is, if they didn't kill you first. These creatures were usually practically blind themselves in sunlight, and blocked the sun just so they could see…and of course have the advantage. Because, in absolute darkness, they could see better than every other known species of youkia. They were also supposedly very intelligent and great problem solvers..and some could even read minds. Of course..there was one characteristic they were supposed to have that didn't quite fit into what this one was doing, two characteristics actually. One, the weren't usually violent, only using their traps to kill their prey, which consisted of small animals. And two, most importantly, their species was supposed to have died out long ago.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Well, obviously that wasn't true, as proved by the fact that this one was most certainly alive. What were they called again? Some sort of bird youkia…Tori something or another..Oh well..it didn't really matter, seeing as how regardless of what the name was, his first priority would be saving Sango and his unborn child.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sango..its alright to move now..there's no use being still now, with the light gone it sees us anyway.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sango finally gave in to the urge to put one arm over her stomach, whilst the other one grabbed her boomerang. "Umm..Miroku..what do we do now? I can't see a thing.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'Okay, you better think of something really good to reassure your future wife…come on something wise..'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I don't know.".  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'Great job.'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**********************************************************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'Well gee..that wasn't exactly reassuring…so..we are pretty much blind..and slowly running out of air…but Miroku keeps talking about something seeing us..I wish he would explain..whatever it is it can't be good…so what am I supposed to do? '  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She listened closely for any signs of another presence. Nothing but Miroku's slow and steady breathing behind her.  
"Who are you?". There was Miroku again, trying to make friends with whoever was trying to kill him. 'Or maybe..he's..'. Suddenly Sango realized just what Miroku was trying to do. She waited for a response from there enemy..if she could just get some clue as to where the voice came from she could throw her boomerang at it.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Of course, nothing really ever goes according to plan.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
****************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The bird youkia tried to contain a laugh. Honestly, did these humans really think she was that stupid? The monk obviously knew a lot about her kind, she had read that much from his mind. So why would he even think that that technique would work? She could read his very thoughts! She new what he was planning ahead of time.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'Oh well, might as well humor the fool..'.."My name is Tsuyu…"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The demon exterminator threw her boomerang at her new found foe.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Tsuyu caught it easily with one clawed hand and frowned. She really didn't want to do what she was about to. She wasn't usually a violent person, and she usually preferred to just keep her distance from humans. She had no business with them..usually…but this was another case, and something she just had to do. It wasn't her choice.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She looked back and forth between the pregnant demon exterminator and her mate, the houshi. Both were squinting hard, as if that would allow them to see. They had obviously figured out something was wrong when they didn't hear any tortured screams of pain. Good thing they didn't bring their cat demon friend with them…or else she might actually be in for a little bit of trouble…thank Kami the two hanyou's were gone, especially that girl..now she would definitely be trouble…This really was a cruel thing to do…  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Lady Sango, Houshi-Sama, please forgive me for what I am about to do."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
In the split second after Tsuyu had asked for forgiveness, and Sango had felt the blinding pain in her abdomen, she had become completely aware of three things. One, she probably should move. Two, this girl was not out to kill her or Miroku. And three, this was really really bad.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
But she didn't have time to process any of that information. Instead, there was the sound of an object rushing through the air at unimaginable speed, and then their was the sound of something hard coming into contact with something soft. To be precise, it was Tsuyu's foot with her own stomach. And it hurt.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
It hurt horribly and unbearably. It was a pain that could only mean one thing..and that only hurt her more.  
  
  
  
  
  
Thankfully, for now she wouldn't have to deal with that, as she was delivered blissfully into the land of the unconscious.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Before she fell completely unconscious, she had one last thought….'If only there were some way to get Kagome and Inuyasha to come back…to save us..'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
********With Kagome and Inuyasha and the Higurashi's*********  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kagome sat at the dinner table with her family. They were eating a hearty dinner of ramen and having light conversation.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh Souta, no one at school has asked about me have they?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Shippo and Souta shared a private look, both remembering exactly what they had told that Houjo guy.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Shippo looked away, deciding he would let Kagome's brother handle this one, after all he didn't want to make Kagome regret adopting him.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Um…no..no one has said anything.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Souta truly was a terrible liar, and Kagome knew he wasn't telling the truth. But she pretended to believe him, after all, she could just ask Shippo later, he and her brother seemed to have gotten to be good friends.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"So, mom, remember my friend, Sango? From Feudal Japan? She's preg-", before Kagome could even finish the sentence, her stomach convulsed into the worst pain she had ever felt in her life.   
She clutched at her stomach, falling over onto the ground, it hurt so bad..and with the pain..was a sickening feeling of dread…  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha was beside her as soon as he smelt her pain, he shook her but she seemed to not even notice, her eyes were squinted shut, obviously in pain.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The rest of the family was soon at her side as well, calling her name, begging her to wake up.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Just as suddenly as the pain had started, it subsided, gone completely, but the feeling of dread remained..and somehow..Kagome knew what she had to do. As soon as the pain was gone, she jumped to her feet in a manner that only her hanyou speed and agility would allow, instinctively she reached for Shippo and tucked him into the folds of her Kimono, like a pouch. She ran out of her house, speaking only one sentence of explanation..of course..it was more of an order…  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha! Come on! Sango and Miroku, hurry!"  
Inuyasha didn't ask for any more explanation than that, he could smell her fear and he knew to just trust her, and ask questions later. He hesitated a moment, debating on whether or not he should provide Kagome's family with any more information..then, realizing he didn't no anything more than they did, he shrugged at them.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Um…Bye.."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
And then he was gone, leaving the Higurashi's speechless and confused.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*********************************************************************  
**********************A/N********************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sorry about taking so long to get this chapter out..anyway..the next one should be out by..hm…Sunday, but it'll be out quicker if you review.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
You haven't heard the end of Tsuyu..she'll   
Lay low for a while but she'll be back soon enough..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Favorite reviewers: Angry shadow, Dark Pheonix2003, Bubbles, Kaylana, Bunny, Vold, diamondtigress, Lady Night,amargo Scribe, Inu-chan, robgirl, admiral biatch, glass of water, confuzzled, sorensen, ssj-gohan, fire demon, Nanaki, Silver Youkia, sakura angel2001, Nicole, Sb1, moonstar, and Inuyasha's love, eddie, aisuru, Azn Gurl , Tsukinoko, Cherry-wolf, Cryxine, ambereyes, Inu-luna, superbakagirl, lilinuyashamunky, hopeless romantic, lyndz., Michelle W, Danie7, Hoyin, Yani Cardaria, Cherry wolf. *sends them all an imaginary Seshoumaru, even if they already have one, because, one seshoumaru is never enough..*cackles**  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Okay…I feel the need to make a few notes to certain reviewers.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Dark Pheonix 2003: Umm..I hope this chapter answered your questions somewhat…well..actualy..this chapter was painfuly vague..but yeah..that's the only info your gonna get! SO THERE BWUAUAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHA….  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sorensen: Kagura? DIE?! I would never do such a thing! Especialy when she is about to play a very important part in this story…  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Rinoa Leonhart: Um..no..this is not realy what happens on the end of Inuyasha…geez..why would I write a fanfic about something that's already been written? Anyway, Inuyasha, both the manga and the anime, aren't over yet. Also..I wasn't aware that Kagoem was acting shy..I don't know..your review doesn't make much sense..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Angry Shadow: You know what? I think that's the first review I've ever gotten that included a proposal…*chops off the heads of some of the men in white coat.* Well…I just thought I'd help you out a little by getting rid of some of those pesky men in white coats…  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Okay…anyway…just so you understand, Kagome wasn't hurt or anything..basically, Sango just wanted desperately to contact her , and Kagome, being a miko and all, was open to her friends spirit and received some of sangos pain as a warning that something was wrong..yeah..I know she never did that before…but now shes hanyou..which, increased her miko abilities..yeah..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
oh, i spell checked this..but didn't reread it..so if you notice any mistakes, point them out and I'll correct them...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Anyway..the 15 review rule is in affect. So review or I will throw you into a pit of slugs.  
  
  
That girl,  
Heather 


	33. Sometimes You Can't Rescue Everyone

Chapter?: Sometimes You Can't Rescue Everyone…  
  
*****************  
Tsuyu stood high in a tree limb, baring no heed to the large distance between herself and the ground.  
  
She watched as the girl, Kagome, and her mate came closer. She had only stayed to make sure they arrived in time…just to make sure the demon exterminator and the houshi were rescued..after all, her job had been taken care of now, and there was no need for *them* to die…  
  
Finally, after, what to her, seemed like a really long time, the girl arrived, followed almost immediately by her mate.  
  
Tsuyu weakened the barrier around the two trapped inside..just enough so that the male hanyou would be able to penetrate it with his sword..Just enough so that it would look like she *had* meant for the two inside to die…so that they might not discover her true reasons…not that it mattered much..  
  
She just would rather them believe it to be a random act of hatred..whether than a well thought out and important plan..something that she *had* to do..for reasons beyond her control..  
  
After weakening her barrier just a little more, just in case, she was gone almost as if she had never been there in the first place…leaving only a single raven black feather to slowly waft to the ground.  
  
**********************  
  
Kagome ran. She ran in a way that she had never thought would be possible for her..and yet she didn't even notice it. She didn't really notice anything..just a vague sensation of falling as she jumped through the well, and then the steady rhythm of her own feet as she ran.   
  
She had no idea where she was going. All she knew was that something was wrong. Miroku and Sango were in…danger? Trouble?…something not good…So instead of even stopping to consider just what she was doing, she let the same thing that had told her something was wrong guide her to her friends.  
  
She paid it no mind as the trees and bristles struck her and cut her in her mad dash to her friends, it wasn't like the scrapes and scratches would matter much anyway, her hanyou healing would take care of them. She barely acknowledged the large rocks and occasional trees she was jumping over..All she knew was that she needed to hurry.  
  
And suddenly her feet stopped. Her legs ceased to move, and her mind once again came back into full working order…what she saw..almost made her wish that it hadn't..  
**********  
  
Shippo peeked out of Kagome's kimono, finally, the girl had stopped running, it had been all he could do to not fall out to his death..Alright…maybe not to his death..but it still wouldn't have been too fun..  
  
Looking at the scene before him, Shippo shuddered as tears welled up in his eyes…he didn't want to see *that*, trembling miserably, he curled back up into Kagome's kimono..maybe..when he came out again everything would be alright..  
  
*****  
  
Inuyasha ran after Kagome. For someone who had only recently required her abilities as a hanyou, she was sure as hell running fast enough. In fact, he himself could barely catch up with her..granted, she had had a bit of a head start..but still…she sure was moving on..  
  
He dodged a low branch with not near as much ease as his mate had, barely missing it. Compared to the way Kagome was moving, he looked pretty clumsy.  
  
But finally, Kagome stopped, so suddenly, that he almost went crashing into her, he was barely able to stop himself in time. Why had she stopped?! Had they reached their destination? And..just as suddenly as he asked himself those questions..they were answered almost immediately..  
  
"Shit."  
  
***************  
  
Kagome stared thought the murky barrier, she could just barely see through it, but it was enough to know just what she was looking at. Sango and Miroku. Both of them laying motionless on the ground.  
  
And then Inuyasha was behind her, about to ask what was wrong, and then figuring it out for himself..And of course, then going on to voice his own opinion of the entire situation..which, remarkably, summed up her feelings at the moment as a whole.  
  
"Shit"  
  
Right..shit indeed.  
  
"Inuyasha..You don't think they're…", Kagome's voice trailed off as she stared again at her friends..they certainly didn't seem very lively.  
  
"Well If their not dead yet they soon will be! We better stop wasting time!", and then Inuyasha stepped in front of Kagome, withdrawing tetusaiga. Already the sword was glowing red.   
  
"KAZE NO KIZU!", with a violent slash the sword cut right through the barrier, immediately dissolving it.  
  
Kagome ran over to her two friends and dropped to her knees.  
  
"Sango-chan!? Miroku?". Neither stirred and Kagome was starting to fear the worst. Tears were beginning to well up in her eyes already.  
  
"They aren't dead baka! Use your nose! Does it smell like death to you? Don't you remember what I taught you? And if you aren't even going to use your nose, at LEAST use your ears! You can hear their heart beating for Kami's sakes!", Inuyasha approached his two unconscious friends and Kagome. Though his words had sounded almost cruel, there was an almost unmistakable look of concern and maybe even fear on his face..  
  
Shippo took a sniff of the air to confirm Inuyasha's statements..to reassure himself..Nope..no death..but there was that other scent there..and not a very pleasant one at that..he decided it wasn't safe to leave his comfort zone quite yet..it would be much easier to just stay where he was, where the unpleasant scent was masked by the comforting and reassuring scent of strawberry's..Kagome.  
  
Kagome sniffed the air, and was quite relieved to find that the death smell was not present…well..not exactly present…but there was some other smell …a very foreign smell that she didn't understand..and, judging by the way Inuyasha kept sniffing the air, he had noticed it too..  
  
"What..what happened to them Inuyasha..what's that smell?"  
  
Inuyasha chose to ignore her last question, "the barrier obviously blocked their air..they passed out is all.."..But if they had only passed out..then why could he smell the slight tinge of bruising and a little bit of blood in the air..  
  
Kagome recognized the blood smell, and even the one that smelled like pain..but there was another one as well…still that one that she didn't understand.  
  
Inuyasha went over to Miroku, seeing if the smell was originating from him, finding that it didn't he slapped the monk hard across the face, evidently in an attempt to wake him up. The monk began to stir, and Inuyasha, no longer interested, approached the demon exterminator. Yep, that was definitely where the smell had been coming from…and now, he really wished it had came from Miroku.  
  
He rolled Sango over onto her back, the smell only got stronger. Nope, no cuts on her face..no *visible* wounds anywhere..He brought his head down closer to her, sniffing all over her body.  
  
"INUYASHA WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?", Kagome stared at her mate, who, looked like he had taken a sudden interest in Sango.  
  
"Feh, I smell blood and pain, but I don't see nothing, so rather than slash up her Demon Exterminator suit I'm gonna just smell for it, is that Okay with you?!", He took a break from his sniffing to glare at Kagome, who appeared a little embarrassed.  
  
Kagome turned to Miroku and began shaking his shoulders, she was growing increasingly worried about Sango, and maybe the monk could explain what had happened.  
  
"ermm…Sango..I just love the way you-"  
  
Kagome groaned inwardly as she slapped a hand over the monks mouth, there was no way she wanted to hear the end to that sentence…already she had conjured up to many mental images for her liking.  
  
"Snap out of it Miroku! What happened?"  
  
Inuyasha sniffed lower until finally he found where the smell was coming from. Sango's stomach. Sango's PREGNANT stomach...This really wasn't good.  
  
He could smell a lot of pain coming from her..way too much to come from just being deprived of air..He wanted to wake her, but he wasn't about to slap her like he had Miroku.  
  
He gathered the limp girl in his arms as genteelly as he could, not wanting to do anymore damage than had already been done.  
  
"Kagome..you take care of the letch, get him to wake up and tell you what happened..I've gotta go get Sango to Kaede as fast as I can..", He waited on her nod of approval before dashing off in the direction of Kaede's hut.  
  
Kagome was seriously worried now..it wasn't like Inuyasha to act so..gentle..caring..something was seriously wrong.  
  
"WAKE UP YOU STUPID MONK!", she was almost terrified by how much she sounded like Inuyasha…was that why Inuyasha was harsh? Just because he was worried?   
  
"I need to know what happened!!"  
  
Miroku slowly opened his eyes. "Gechur and offma mouf an en ile esplane"  
  
"Eh?!", Kagome glanced down at her hand, which was still on Miroku's mouth. "Oh..sorry.."  
  
Miroku shot a glare at her as he slowly sat up..looking for Sango..the last thing he remembered was hearing that sickening thud..and then Sango screaming..and then..then he had..passed out? Where was Sango. He began to panic...she WAS alright..wasn't she?  
  
"Where's Sango?!", He was now on his feet and searching the surrounding area, looking in bushes, glancing up in trees..  
  
"Inuyasha took her to Kaede..I think she got hurt really bad in whatever happened…"  
  
"Is she alright?! What about the baby!? Is it alright!?"  
  
Kagome grimaced as she remembered the way Inuyasha had stopped at Sango's stomach…the way he had sniffed there and then got that look on his face…and then ran off to Kaede's…It was all she could do to keep her composure for Miroku's sake.  
  
"I…I don't know…Miroku…what happened here?"  
  
Miroku glanced at Kagome, his eyes full of sorrow and his face pained..a single tear slid down his cheek. And then he was gone, running off, trying to catch up with Inuyasha…with Sango..with his baby…assuming it still existed..  
  
Kagome watched him go..knowing that she could catch up with him oh so easily..but choosing not too..If something had happened to Inuyasha..she would do the same.  
  
She took another wiff of the surrounding air, not at all surprised to find that the smell she had smelled earlier..that smell that was so much like death..but not quite..was gone…  
  
Suddenly, she felt something squirming in her Kimono.   
  
"Eh?", she glanced down at her Kimono where the movement was coming from..this was..unusual..  
  
And then out popped Shippo's head, a clearly worried expression on his childlike face.  
  
In all her haste she had forgotten the little kitsune. She patted his head comfortingly..  
  
"Kagome…? Is Sango and her baby gonna be alright?"  
  
Kagome looked away from him.."I..don't know Shippo.."  
  
Shippo nodded his head sadly and returned to his little den in Kagome's Kimono.  
  
Clutching the little bulge in the upper half of her Kimono, Kagome walked slowly in the direction of Kaede's hut. Trying her best not to let her composure crumble..she had to be strong for once..for everyone else..She walked on, her expression completely devoid of all emotion..thoroughly dreading what news the rest of the day would bring.  
  
*******A/N******  
  
Gomen for the lack of an update in 7 days..sorry…really I am..But..for one thing, I was out of town, and another, Fanfiction was out of order for a while..but I'm back..with another cliffhangery thing…and a pretty short chapter..  
  
Oh, and fan fiction has been giving me problems with my spacing (namely getting rid of it entirely) so if this problem occurse on this chapter..um..sorry about that too…  
  
Okie, I know some of you were upset about the lack of Inuyasha/Kagome..But the next few chapters are gonna be primarily Sango/Miroku…sorry..  
  
~And A LOT of you were upset about the baby die thing…I haven't said yet that its going to die..there..might be a way to save it…~  
  
I'm sorry but I've had to edit my favorite reviewer list, it was getting WAY to big..so now only a select few will be on.  
  
Favorite Reviewers: Vold, Lyndz, Sorensen, Bunny, Kaylana, Angry Shadow, Robgirl, Lady Night, Armargo Scribe, Tsukinoko, and Dark Pheonix2003 *sends them all them all Sesshy Maru's line of beauty products..*..hmm..I'll let that go to the imagination...  
  
I know..I probably forgot some really important people..gomen..  
  
Vold: Thanks so much for all your reviews, I really aprreciate it, and thinks for the concern..The lack of update was mainly due to being out of town..in hell..which..is also known as being with my father..and I was …computer less *screams in terror*..and then..I went through a day or two of doubting my abilities as a writer..and considering dropping writing all together..but I'm back..Thanks.a lot…And since your so great, you're the first in line in my list of favorite reviewers.  
  
Bunny: See! I updated! *feels special*  
  
Dark Pheonx: I really apreciate you reviewing almost every chapter! Oh and congratulations on being my 500th reviewer! *sends bouqeut of…tiger lillys as a prize*  
  
CrazyInuLover: I didn't know the name had already been used in the series..I didn't come up with it..Kaylana did *points at Kaylana*  
  
Oh, and someone..I forgot who…said the seshy story line is draggin on awhile..yeah I know..but..well..I had to have kagura free for a while..cuz..well..she plays an important part soon…  
And I am aware of the lack of a sesshy update..sorry,…lets just assume he's still wandering around looking for kagura..  
  
I PROMISE the next chapter should be out sooner!  
Untill then, REVIEW!!  
  
REVEIW OR I SHALL EAT YOUR SOULS!  
That girl,  
Heather 


	34. Not Strong Enough

Chapter?: Not Strong Enough  
  
*************  
  
Kagome arrived at Kaede's hut only to find Inuyasha sitting up against the door sulking, whilst Miroku paced back and forth repeatedly in front of him. Kaede and Sango were no where in sight.  
  
"What happened Inuyasha?", Kagome walked over to her mate and sat down beside him, leaning up against him and wandering why he had chose to sit in this location, rather than his preferred tree.  
  
"I brought her to Kaede, the old hag mumbled something about 'fading auras' or some shit and made us leave.", he glared menacingly at Miroku, "and I think the monks going crazy.."  
  
Miroku acted as if he didn't even hear Inuyasha, or notice the presence of Kagome…more than likely he really didn't..Instead, he continued to pace back and forth, occasionally kicking a pebble that kept getting in his way. Not once did his gaze lift from the ground..even more disturbing was the fact that he seemed to be mumbling something along the lines of, "This is bad, bad, bad, bad, bad bad, very bad, Sango, I love Sango, love her, love her, lover her, Don't die Sango, alive, alive, alive, our baby..the poor helpless baby, my child, my child, my child, don't die, alive alive alive…"  
  
Kagome raised an eyebrow and turned to Inuyasha, placing a hand on his shoulder, "Have you managed to get any information out of him?"  
  
"Feh, the stupid monk's either been chanting or trying to shove me out of the way so he can get inside since we've been here.."  
  
"So that's why your up against the door…Inuyasha..do you think she's going to be okay?"  
Inuyasha had suddenly found looking at the ground to be an extremely interesting form of entertainment,   
"How am I supposed to know?!"  
"Inuyasha..?", she attempted to make him meet her gaze, grabbing him by the ear and tugging it in the direction of herself..rather than the ground.  
  
"Hey! That hurts, remember!", he glared at her, but at *least* now he was looking at her.  
"Inuyasha, you know much more about scents than I do…and I know you know something that your not telling me….hey! Isn't that why you were mad at me just yesterday! For keeping something from you!?", now Kagome was getting seriously angry, he was being such a hypocrite!, She stood up with her hands on her hips, "Inuyasha SI-"  
  
"ALRIGHT ALRIGHT! I'll tell you…", he tugged on her arm so that she would sit back down beside him , "but keep you voice down…I don't wanna upset him anymore than he is already..", he glanced pointedly at the chanting monk.  
  
"-bad, bad, bad..love her..don't die…bad, bad , bad, love, love, love, bird demons are bad, Tsuyu is mean, mean, mean, mean, why? , why, why , why-"  
  
Kagome's anger was beginning to die down, there were more important things than being angry with Inuyasha right now, she lowered her voice so that only Inuyasha could hear, "Alright..what do you know?"  
  
He said nothing, only glared at the bulge on her stomach meaningfully. She glanced down to see what he was looking at.  
  
She laughed nervously as she reached down into her kimono, grabbed a fluffy tail, and pulled.   
  
And there was Shippo, held out in front of her by the tail. Noticing how Inuyasha-like that appeared, she sat him down in her lap carefully.  
  
The little kitsune looked up at her, eyes wide with innocence…or..at least that's what he was going for anyway.  
  
"Sorry Shippo-chan, I need to talk to Inuyasha..alone.."  
  
"But Kagome..I want to know what's wrong with Sango!"  
  
The sweet little voice melted Kagome's heart, she looked to Inuyasha pleadingly. "Inuyasha..can't he listen?"  
  
Inuyasha looked back and forth between the two, trying to decide on the best course of action.   
Finding there really was no way out of this, especially after Kagome had gone and made the runt into her pup, he sighed dramatically.   
  
"Alright, the runt can stay.", he glowered at Shippo, "But If *you* say one thing to *anyone*, I'll make sure you want be saying *anything* anytime soon!"  
  
Shippo winced but nodded his head in affirmation, hoping Inuyasha wouldn't treat all his children like this..a-dopt-ed or not..  
  
Inuyasha gave him a rough pat on the head, remembering just what he was supposed to be to Shippo now. Shippo was rather surprised by the strange display of..affection? But chose to keep silent..this really wasn't the time to make fun of Inuyasha.  
  
Quickly, Inuyasha averted his attention back to Kagome, "okay..are you sure you wanna know?"  
  
Kagome was beginning to grow very very impatient, Inuyasha really was pushing his luck today.  
  
Seeing her look, that look that said 'If you don't hurry it up I'll sit you till the next new moon', he decided maybe he should just cut to the chase.   
  
"*Sango* is going to be fine..she's unconscious..but more than likely that was just from the pain..something hit her in the stomach..hard.."  
  
"What about her..baby..?"  
  
Inuyasha shook his head remorsefully, "I really don't know..it doesn't look good Kagome.."  
  
Shippo didn't say anything, instead, he made himself comfortable in Kagome's lap, looking generally distressed.  
  
Kagome just nodded, still determined to be the strong one, absently, she stroked her fingers through the kistune's hair.  
  
Inuyasha wrapped his arm around her shoulders, knowing how this was affecting her, and proud that she was able to keep her self so controlled in such a situation..unlike *some* people.  
  
Miroku continued to chant.  
  
******  
  
Kaede had brought Sango over to a futon and stripped her of her demon exterminator suit, replacing it with her yukata. Strangely, it had been much easier for her to find it than it had been for Miroku and Sango..  
  
She was distracted by Sango's aura. It felt all wrong. Something was missing from it..  
  
"Tis not good..tis not good.."  
  
Opening the girl's yukata to reveal her stomach, she examined it.  
  
There really were no tell tale signs yet showing that she was pregnant,, Kaede shook her head as she realized that there was a chance now that there might never be.  
  
There was a shallow cut right along the center, it appeared as though a claw had been drug across it sharply, already there was a large purple bruise beginning to show.  
  
Shaking her head yet again, she left the girls side in search of some appropriate herbs for the wound, not to mention some that might take away some of the bruising.  
  
Having been gathering, grinding, and sorting herbs for the past few weeks, she found what she was looking for easily.  
  
She added some water to a few ground herbs so that it formed a paste. Having done that she grabbed some bandages and returned to the wounded girl's side.  
  
She bandaged it quickly and without really even thinking about it, the result of years of practice.  
  
With her wounds dressed, it was now time to examine that strange quality to her aura.  
  
The old woman sat down beside Sango and closed her eyes, concentrating.  
  
Yes, something was definitely missing from it..not necessarily missing..but..more precisely, detached.  
  
The rest of her aura seemed weakened, but still relatively healthy…but that one part…it was withering away, slowly but surely.  
  
It didn't take the herb loving woman too long to figure out what that meant..the part that had detached..had only recently *attached*..It was the aura of the baby..  
  
Kaede bowed her head and recited a quick incantation, not much of a guarantee, but it wouldn't really hurt.  
  
Slowly she rose from the ground and went to retrieve an herb that would wake the unconscious demon exterminator.  
  
Kaede began boiling water over her fire, when the water began to boil, she added in the waking herbs, hopefully the aroma would wake Sango.  
  
Deciding it was alright to let the others come in now, she went to open her door.  
  
****  
  
Inuyasha had been sitting peacefully with Kagome and Shippo, amusing himself with watching the thoroughly freaked out monk.  
  
Being so caught up in trying to understand what Miroku was saying…he really hadn't been expecting the door behind him to open..neither had Kagome for that matter..  
  
So, as soon as Kaede pulled open the door, their backrest was removed, and they both fell backwards into the room, taking Shippo with them.  
  
"Oi! Give us some warning next time why don'tcha?", Inuyasha rubbed his head over-dramatically.  
  
Kagome rolled her eyes at Inuyasha and stood up, dusting herself off. Shippo hopped up onto her shoulder.  
  
"Kaede-sama? How is Sango?"  
  
The old lady pointed at the chanting monk outside, "bring him in..I prefer to tell you all at once."  
  
Kagome stared at Inuyasha, silently willing him to go get Miroku…after all, she certainly didn't want to mess with a crazy person.  
  
Inuyasha finally stopped rubbing his head and stood up.   
  
"Feh."  
  
And then, after receiving yet another glare from his mate, he left the hut, grabbed Miroku around the waist, and heaved him over his shoulder, much like he had done back when he had been dead…  
  
"Hey! Put me down Inuyasha!", apparently, being rudely and roughly plucked off the ground and tossed over someone's shoulder like a common sack of potatoes has the uncanny ability to wake one out of one's stupor. The monk hit the hanyou over the head with his staff, which, from his current position, was definitely quite a feat to pull off.  
  
"Stop it bouzo or I'll drop you.", Inuyasha hastily made his way back to the hut.  
  
****  
  
Soon they were all gathered around Sango, waiting for her to awake, as Kaede refused to tell them anything until she did.   
  
"Sango's going to be alright right?!", Shippo, so far, had done an excellent job of not letting on that he knew more than anyone else.  
  
"Babba, why don't'cha just tell us and get it over with?!"  
  
"Hush Inuyasha. Or I'll say it!"  
  
"Feh.."  
  
"Sango! Oh my dear Sango..my child..is she alright? Are they alright?".   
  
Kagome was beginning to feel nostalgia for the chanting..anything was better than miroku's incessant questioning.  
  
"Shut up! All of you! Is this what you want her to wake up too?!"  
  
All four of them turned to glare at the old woman. Even Kirara looked offended from her post, curled up beside Sango.  
  
Before anything could come of that, rustling was heard from Sango, followed by a low moan of agony.  
All heads turned to stare at the slowly rousing girl.  
  
Miroku was at once at her side, grasping her hands. "Sango!? Are you okay?"  
  
"Erm..ergh..Hoshma…Miroku..?", The girls face betrayed utter confusion, and pain. But as realization took over, her eyes widened until they were so big they looked like they were going to take over her face.  
She clutched her stomach at once, whimpering.."the baby…"  
  
"Alright babba she's awake now! Start talkin'!"   
  
Kaede shot Inuyasha a disapproving look and turned to Sango, "Listen up child..can you hear me?"  
  
Sango took a break from her whimpering to acknowledge Kaede, "y-yes.."  
  
"Alright..", all eyes were on the old miko, eager and afraid of what information she was about to bestow, "you will be fine Sango…but your baby..I'm afraid your body isn't strong enough…I don't think it will make it…I'm very sorry.."  
  
The little kitsune burst into tears, whilst everyone else seemed to be in shock.  
  
"That's NOT fair!", Inuyasha growled, slamming his fist to the floor, "We don't fucking deserve this! What the hell is wrong with the gods!?"  
  
"My..my..child..", It was strange..Miroku hadn't even held the child in his arms yet, hadn't even laid eyes on it.., or even felt it moving around in Sango's stomach..but there had been some bond between them..a tie..He could always have another child..they could always try again..but it wouldn't be the same..his child..had been..taken away from him..he was heartbroken..completely devastated… it was all he could do not to break down right there.  
  
Sango's face was completely blank. Not an ounce of emotion, her eyes seemed lifeless. She brought herself up into a sitting position, wincing slightly as the muscles in her abdomen contracted. She turned to face Kagome.  
  
"Thank you for saving me and Miroku, Kagome … you too Inuyasha.", such a dead voice….  
  
Kagome didn't know what to say…how did Sango know that she had saved them? But that wasn't her main concern…Sango was acting strange..cold..Miroku was clearly in shock..a normal reaction..but the way Sango was acting was disturbing her. She laid a hand on Sango's shoulder for comfort.  
  
"Sango-chan…"  
  
Sango glanced at the hand that had been placed on her shoulder, a flicker of some emotion passed through her eyes..but then it was gone..almost as if it hadn't been there in the first place. "I'm fine Kagome."  
  
"But..Sango..?"  
  
"I'm *fine*.", this time her voice was stern, much more harsh, she emphasized the word 'fine' as if she were daring Kagome to prove other wise.."If you don't mind, I think I would like to be alone now"  
  
Kagome nodded, scooping up the still bawling kitsune in her arms and grabbing the scowling Inuyasha by the hand. For once the usually stubborn hanyou made no move to resist, instead he simply followed her willingly out the door.  
  
Sango waited a few minutes, eyeing the houshi, finally, coming to terms with the fact that he couldn't read her thoughts, she stated the sentence that she had been mentally trying to send to him. "I said I would like to be alone.."..She hated saying that to him..it sounded so cruel..mentally would have been better.  
  
Miroku glanced up, surely she didn't mean him *too*..was she talking to Kaede? It wasn't very nice to ask someone to leave their own hut.  
  
"What..me?"  
  
Seeing the hurt look on Miroku's face, her expression softened somewhat, but it didn't reach as far as her eyes, they still stayed blank. "I'm sorry Miroku..I just..need to be alone right now..I need to think..you understand..right?"  
  
Miroku quickly covered up the hurt he was still feeling with a stoic mask, one he had developed long long ago..but..this was the first time he had used it since the death of Naraku..  
  
"Sure Sango. I understand."  
  
Sango watched him leave the hut, regretting hurting him..but she really did need to be alone.  
  
Kaede rose from the floor, leaving to go grind herbs or something, "If you need me, I shouldn't be too far away."  
  
Sango nodded, still sitting up on the futon, stroking the soft fur of her cat demon companion..for once thankful that Kirara couldn't talk.  
  
******************  
  
Inuyasha, Kagome, and Shippo, were all perched up in a tree,having taken post there after Sango had ordered them to leave. Needless to say, each one of them were surprised when they picked up the scent of Miroku right below them.  
  
"Miroku?", Kagome called down, unsure of herself..After all, shouldn't Miroku be with Sango?  
Having not received a reply, Kagome turned to Inuyasha, hoping her nose wasn't broken or something.  
  
Inuyasha sighed, "Its him.", Wordlessly, and without warning, he simply shifted his weight and dropped down gracefully to the ground, miraculously landing on his feet.  
  
Kagome stared down through the leaves, some 30 feet above the ground, wandering just how the hell Inuyasha had managed to do that…and so damn gracefully too..  
  
"Shippo..how does he *do* that?!"  
  
Shippo smirked lightly, his tears had stopped shortly after leaving the hut. "Someday you'll be doing that too.."  
  
Kagome shook her head, seriously doubting that.  
  
Suddenly, she found herself face to face with a VERY terrified Miroku…a miroku being held out at arms length by the collar, hanging perilously in thin air.  
  
"Inuyasha! Put him town! Your scaring him!"  
  
Reluctantly, Inuyasha stood up and put Miroku on the branch parallel to his own. The thoroughly horrified monk quickly leaned over and wrapped his arms around the limb, holding on for dear life.  
  
Kagome stared at Inuyasha as if he had gone mad, Shippo watched Miroku in amusement.   
  
"Why did you bring him up *here*! If he falls he'll die!".  
  
Miroku's already paled face grew even more white..if that were even possible.  
  
Inuyasha sat pack down, leaning his back up against the trunk and beckoning Kagome to join him.  
"Come over here, its safer."  
  
"What about MIROKU!"  
  
Inuyasha shrugged, "He'll be fine."  
  
"I am *far* from being FINE right now Inuyasha!", the monk had finally braved opening his mouth and talking, relieved that that didn't mess up his balance and send him toppling to his doom.  
  
Inuyasha growled, aggravated, and jumped back over to Miroku's branch. He pried him off of the limb and sat him down against the trunk, so that he could lean his back up against it.  
  
Satisfied, Inuyasha returned to his own branch, once again leaning his own back up against the trunk, now unhappy with the short distance between himself and Miroku.  
  
Finally, deciding that simply pushing Miroku down to his death wasn't the best solution, he once again beckoned for Kagome to come sit in his lap, at least that way she would be closer than Miroku.  
  
This time Kagome obliged, noticing the contemplative glances Inuyasha kept shooting at Miroku..and then at the ground. Shippo hopped over to Miroku and sat atop his shoulder.  
  
"ACK! No Shippo! You'll mess up my balance."  
  
Shippo stared at the monk dryly, not moving. "I'm pretty sure your gonna be just fine unless Inuyasha pushes you.  
  
Now that everyone was situated, Kagome posed her question yet again, "Why did you bring him up here?"  
  
She could feel him shrug behind her, "He was down their mourning and shit, you don't need to be alone after you just got that kinda news! He might've went and jumped off a cliff, and besides, I wanted to know just what the fuck happened back there.  
  
Kagome narrowed her eyes, "How touching.", her voice was practically dripping with sarcasm.  
  
"Hmpf"  
  
"Miroku?", Kagome softly urged the monk to explain what had happened.  
  
Miroku kept staring at the ground, swatting at his shoulder where the kitsune kept playing with his pony tail.  
  
"Hmm..Why do you always have your hair tied back Miroku? I bet Sango'd like it if you let it down..I betch'd look better too."  
  
Inuyasha reached a hand out and grabbed the annoying kitsune, placing him in Kagome's lap.  
  
"What happened back there monk?"  
  
Miroku sighed, there really was no excuse for not telling them..sad as he was..they did deserve to know..  
  
"Kaede had asked us to go get herbs..I thought it was too dangerous..but then Sango made some comment about herbs shoving themselves down our throats..and I relented.."  
  
And so his tale began.  
  
*************  
  
It didn't take long for Miroku to finish explaining what had happened, in fact, it would have gone quicker if he didn't keep looking down at the ground and shuddering every so often. But who could really blame him? He never had been one to climb trees … and he was most certainly far from being a demon … if he were to fall … well … he didn't even want to think about that …  
  
"so…you say it was some kind of bird demon?..", Kagome glanced at Miroku, waiting for his confirmation.  
  
"That's what I think at least..they are the only kind I know of that behave in that way..that can make such strong barriers..:"  
  
Inuyasha grunted, confused., "There's still something I don't understand though, why'd it attack you? It couldn't have been after the shikon No tama, and even if it was, why did it let ya live? Its as if it didn't even *want* to kill you.."  
  
Miroku sighed, "I've thought of that..it's like it wasn't targeting us…it even apologized.."  
  
"Apologized?", Inuyasha, Kagome, and Shippo both stared at him.  
  
"yes right before it kicked Sango.."  
  
Shippo looked thoughtful for a moment, "Maybe it didn't want to hurt you…maybe it was after the baby..and it didn't want to hurt it either.."  
  
Miroku nodded at Shippo, "yes..but if it didn't want to hurt the baby..then why did it.."  
  
"Maybe it *had* to.."  
  
"But why..why would anyone hurt a harmless child!"  
  
Shippo's supply of answers stopped there, that really didn't make since..hurting an unborn pup.  
  
Miroku sighed again.."We've all had our losses..each of us..this isn't any different..time heals all wounds.."  
The impassive mask was placed yet again on Miroku's face.  
  
The thought of losses brought Inuyasha's mind back to Kikyou, remembering what he had been meaning to ask Miroku.  
  
"Hey Miroku, I forgot to tell you, Kagome killed Kikyou the other day, But this time when she died, She turned into some kinda apparition or something and said 'thank you for freeing me' or some shit like that."  
  
Miroku raised an eyebrow skeptively at Kagome. "Kagome seems to be killing a lot of people these days.."  
  
Kagome blushed..she was still uncomfortable about the whole Kikyou thing..it disturbed her that she had done something like that..without even wanting to..  
  
"I really choose not to know how that came about..but as for your question..It's just as I thought really, that Kikyou walking the earth for all this time wasn't really her, just a small remnant of her..and as long as the remnant existed, her soul was trapped, unable to move on…It is never right for a soul, AND its reincarnation to be around at the same time…My guess is that the new soul had to free the old soul..in this case, by destroying the body it was trapped in.."  
  
Inuyasha glared at the monk, "Ya know, you could really spare us a lot of grief if you'd share your little musings with us some of the time."  
  
Miroku smiled sadly, remembering of how he had warned Sango that it didn't feel right out..that something was wrong..  
  
"You know Inuyasha .. I really don't think anyone would listen…"  
  
In an uncharacteristic display of affection..or maybe pity, Inuyasha patted the monks back.  
  
"Things will turn out alright…they always do.."  
  
***************  
  
Sango still sat on the bed, now mending the tear down the middle of her battle suit. Kaede had provided her with the utensils, and so here she sat, unwanted thoughts blaring in her mind..  
  
She already knew what she was going to do…she could fix this..her baby would live..  
  
Kaede's voice echoed in her mind..'your body's not strong enough.."  
  
Sango smiled bitterly, 'Not strong enough am I? Well..we'll see about that..'  
  
*************************And Finally, the long awaited, SESHY MARU UPDATE*****  
  
"Seshy-shou-maru-sama?", The girl atop Seshy's shoulder tapped him on the head, "Rin's getting tired of all this traveling..looking for the wind lady.."  
  
"We will find her Rin. Soon."  
  
"But … it's been so long … what if wind lady is dead?"  
  
"She's not dead Rin."  
  
"She *could* be."  
  
"She's *not*"  
  
"But how do you *know*?"  
  
"Because the grass is green Rin, because the sky is blue. That's how I *know*."  
  
Rin considered this for a moment.."But what if the grass isn't really green, and the sky isn't really blue..what if we all just *think* it is..but its just our imaginations?"  
  
Damnit, the girl was as strong willed as he was. She just wouldn't give up! Great characteristics to look for when choosing a mate..'A YOUKIA mate…', he corrected..Rin was human, NOT a youkia..though..if she were..she really would make a great mate when she got older…'What am I *thinking* this for?'  
  
"Rin?", Seshoumaru tried his best to make his voice sound impassive as ever, banishing all of his previous thoughts from his mind.  
  
"Yes?", she knew what was coming..he always did this when he wanted her to-  
  
"Shut up"  
  
Right..when he wanted her to shut up.  
  
And so Rin, being young and easily bored, looked around for something to entertain herself with..There really wasn't anything that immediately came to mind, she had no possessions to her name.  
  
She searched her mind for anything..she could hum..but Seshy-maru didn't like that..he was tired of her talking .. so that ruled talking out..she looked down at the top of Seshy's head..he really did have such pretty hair..long and white …. shiny and clean..not one split end …. such pretty hair..hair that would be fun to play with..  
  
Not long after , the great Seshoumaru, lord of the western lands , walked the land, in , god help him , two , floppy , not too nicely done , pig-tails  
  
*****a/n****  
  
That was my longest chapter ever, exactly 4000 words!  
  
Well..I hope that got out soon enough…  
  
Vold: Thanks for adding me to your favorite author list!  
  
Angry shadow: thanks for the really long reviews, I love long reviews! Thanks for the encouragement..and coul luck with the men in white coats..  
  
Oh, and heres a but of advertisement, You should all go read Bunny's fic..that's her username.. Bunny …Its really good, and she doesn't have near as many reviews as she deserves! So yeah! You should all go read it..its REALLY good..  
  
Bunny: well you asked me to send reviewers your way…  
  
Okay, next chapter should be out in 3 to 5 days.  
  
Well..Please review..I'm putting the 15 review rule in effect again..I worked really hard on giving you all a long update..so show your aprecciation by reviewing!  
  
That girl,  
Heather 


	35. I Can Fix This

Chapter?: I Can Fix This  
  
***  
  
Sango carefully plucked the sleeping Kirara from her lap and sat her aside. That done, she rose from her spot on the futon gracefully, not making a sound.   
  
Cautiously, she placed one bare foot on the floor. Making noise was not an option, she simply couldn't do it. Silently, and very slowly, she crept to where Kaede slept.  
  
She breathed a sigh of relief, and muttered a quick prayer, thankful that the old miko was dozing peacefully.  
After taking an extra minute to make sure she was in fact, sleeping soundly, she turned and made her way back to her futon.  
  
The demon exterminator bent down to pick up her now mended taiji suit. She smiled slightly, admiring her own handy work, she couldn't even tell that it had been ripped only hours ago.  
  
Still making sure to be quiet, she untied the belt of her Yukata, then slid out of it, letting it drop to the floor. Quickly, while hoping no one caught her like this, she pulled on her taiji suit.  
  
She looked down at herself, mentally making sure everything was in check. Katana, armor, and her boomerang was laying on the futon, ready for her when she needed it. But she wasn't quite ready for that yet, there were a few more things she had to do first.  
  
'hmmm..if I were an old miko ... Where would I keep blank scrolls, ink, and an ink brush…'  
  
Sango scanned the room with her eyes, finally stopping at an old wooden trunk, engraved with beautiful designs depicting a serene forest.  
  
That would be where Kaede would keep them .. surely .. And hadn't she saw her going there to get them before?  
  
Of course ... If it wasn't ink and such, she really didn't want to know *what* was in there…Kaede was kind of strange..  
  
Regardless of her own uneasiness in, invading someone's property, Kaede's of all peoples, and stealing it…not only that but what else she might find, she still needed the stuff, and the trunk seemed like the most logical place to look.  
  
After hesitating a moment, she finally walked over to the trunk and opened it. Kaede really should have put some kind of a lock on her things. In the hut lit only by one small candle, it was rather hard to make out the contents of the trunk.  
  
Not knowing anything better to do, she reached her hand in and felt around. Something glass …. Small … and cube like …   
  
She brought it out into the light. It was all she could do not to voice her happiness at her find.  
  
A bottle of ink.  
  
She sat it aside and dug around some more in the chest. After a little more searching, skipping over some ... Unidentifiable objects..or rather, ones she didn't want to identify, she soon found the rest of the things she was looking for.  
  
Finding no where better to do her work, she moved over to where the light was brightest and sat her paper in the floor.   
  
Carefully, she dipped her brush in the dark ink. She mentally slapped herself, realizing that her hand was shaking, she had no reason to be! She wasn't doing anything wrong! .. no .. nothing wrong at all…she was just .. Fixing things.. Everything was going to be alright!  
  
As if to prove this to herself, she brought the dripping brush over the parchment and began to write.  
~  
  
Miroku,  
  
Don't worry about me. If your reading this, then obviously I am yet to return. I assure you that I will be back soon. So don't worry.  
  
And don't be angry with me, now, or later. I had to do this. It was either this or let my baby die.  
  
And I am not about to let that happen. Our child will live Miroku. That I promise you.  
  
I can't say that I am only doing this because of the baby, this probably would have happened regardless of this situation. Simply because I am who I am.  
  
Kaede told me my body isn't strong enough.  
  
Do you know what that's like for me? I, Sango, the demon exterminator? I've always been 'strong enough'. My whole life has been spent fighting demons. I've killed hundreds upon hundreds of them ...You know, I was the strongest exterminator in my village…  
  
But suddenly ... I'm not strong enough.   
  
And this isn't the first time I've been aware of it. Do you remember fighting with Naraku? Of course you do, it was barely weeks ago. I wasn't strong enough then. And it wasn't my lack of physical power, *that* I have plenty of, you've seen me fight.  
  
It was the fact that I couldn't see him. I couldn't see the bastard.  
  
And that's the same reason our baby isn't okay right now.  
  
Because I couldn't see the demon.  
  
You know, If I were Kagome, my body would be strong enough to heal the baby. Of course, If I were Kagome, I would have saw the demon, and wouldn't be in this mess.  
  
And I'm jealous of that, what she has.   
  
She was just like me, except weaker, only weeks ago ... And now ... Now she's stronger than me.  
  
I might still be able to fight better than her…but is that really the most important thing?  
  
She won't have to worry about sickness, for her, or her children. She won't have to worry about dark, star-less nights, or bird demons with barriers that block out the sun. She won't have to worry about death, because, naturally, it will be many, many centuries before it touches her.  
  
I'm not usually a jealous person ... Oh, forget I said that, I'm sure you still have knots on your head to prove other wise.  
  
So, maybe I do get a little jealous sometimes.   
  
And maybe I am a little hormonal, as Kagome puts it, because of the pregnancy.  
  
But no matter how much that may be affecting my decision. I still stand beside it.  
  
My baby will live.  
  
Please don't follow me, I know Inuyasha will be able to track me down with his nose ... Please don't try to stop me, I have to do this.  
  
I'll be fine.  
  
And just in case, I'm taking Kagome with me…for one thing, I'll need her nose, and another ... Just in case of my capabilities not fulfilling my needs.  
  
I'm sorry I can't tell you what I'm going to do.  
  
You'll find out soon enough..  
  
Who knows, maybe it might not even work ... I might not be right.  
  
I'm sorry for doing this to you, running off without warning…but I'll be back, soon.  
  
I love you.  
  
Sango  
  
~  
  
Sango glanced at the note, now finished. She never had been particularly good at writing, but at least it was legible. The ink had smudged in a few spots , and some of the words were close to being unidentifiable, but all in all, it was half-way decent.  
  
She reread her own words. They sounded pathetic. She never was one to be so open with her feelings. And even in such a situation, all the heartfelt and honest words disgusted her, making her quite uneasy.  
  
She almost considered ripping up the letter and replacing it with something more 'her'.  
  
Preferably, just one sentence.  
  
'I'll be back soon.'  
  
Of course, that really wouldn't do, and certainly wouldn't prevent Miroku from following her. Even *with* the much longer note, she wasn't quite sure he wouldn't follow her.  
  
After waiting a few minutes for the ink to dry, she picked it up and laid it out on the futon, beside Kirara.  
  
Grabbing her massive boomerang, she made her way out of the hut.  
  
However, she stopped momentarily at the door, catching site of the ink and brush still sitting on a floor. For a moment, she debated whether or not she should put them back where they belonged. Finally, she decided that since she had already used them without permission, leaving them out wouldn't make much of a difference.  
  
Ever so quietly, she pulled open the wooden door, and stepped out into the cool night air.  
The hour was late, she had waited until she knew, or at least hoped, that everyone else was asleep.  
  
Though the sky was dark, it was nothing compared to the night of the battle with Naraku, or the barrier Tsuyu had put up.  
  
She took a moment to bask in the gentle breeze before making her way to Inuyasha's tree.  
  
Just as she had expected, Miroku was asleep against the base of the trunk, looking positively stressed, especially for someone who was asleep.  
  
Unable to resist the temptation, and feeling a tad bit guilty, she bent over and kissed the top of his head, hoping that he wouldn't wake up.  
  
He flinched a bit, she froze, midway up to standing straight again. She refused to breathe until she was certain he had not awoken.  
  
After a second or two, he settled back up against the tree. He still didn't look too comfortable, but at least he was asleep.  
  
Now came the tricky part. Finding a way to reach Kagome, who was surely sleeping up high in Inuyasha's lap, and doing it without waking Inuyasha, or Miroku, and not killing herself in the process.  
  
She really should have thought this out better.  
  
Why did Inuyasha have to sleep in trees anyway? Dogs weren't ones to sleep in trees! That was more of a cat thing!  
  
'baka dog'  
  
So what was she supposed to do? Climb up there? Surely she would wake everyone up in doing so! She could climb trees, but not near with as much grace as demons, such as Inuyasha, and now even Kagome.  
  
'They really should sleep on the ground like normal people.'  
  
Suddenly, she became very aware of the abnormally large and equally heavy boomerang she had resting against her shoulder.  
  
She brought it out in front of her, studying it. There was just a chance … maybe … she could use *it*?  
It was awfully big though, was her aim really that good? And could she actually throw it at Kagome without hurting her ..   
If it surprised her, she might scream and wake Inuyasha. .. Not to mention everyone else.  
  
But still .. It seemed to be the only way. She stood there, glancing at her boomerang, and then trying to find the silhouette of Kagome and Inuyasha. She couldn't see anything but the leaves and limbs.   
  
Maybe it wasn't such a good idea.  
  
~~~~  
  
Kagome rested comfortably up in Inuyasha's arms, high above the ground. Granted, she wasn't sleeping like everyone else in their right mind, but she was resting comfortably.  
  
How was she supposed to sleep after a day like that? Wasn't there anything she could do? Anything anyone could do? Sango's baby couldn't just die!  
  
That just wouldn't be fair, they had done so much for the world. Killed an evil demon, collected many, many tiny shards so that they wouldn't fall into the wrong hands, not to mention killing other not-so-nice demons along the way!  
  
Was this there reward?   
  
Of course, she couldn't really say that. She had been bestowed such great fortune. She was alive, and with Inuyasha, forever. And there had always been that chance that not all of them would even be alive after fighting Naraku, but here they were, each one of them.  
  
No, she certainly didn't have any right to be complaining, after all, it could have been much, much worse.  
  
But still, it didn't seem right. Why would some random bird demon, one that Miroku claimed should be extinct, show up one day and mess everything up? Well ... Not everything, but it sure had put a damper on the good spirits they had been in since defeating Naraku.  
  
Kaede had said that the baby wasn't dead yet. But obviously it wasn't going to heal itself on its own, Sango wasn't a demon. But could they still save it… somehow?  
  
Her nose abruptly picked up a new scent on the wind, automatically jarring her from her thoughts. She wasn't the only one awake.  
  
She glanced around on the ground, searching for Sango, that *was* who she had smelt.  
  
There she was, standing at the door way, in her demon exterminator suit, fully armed.  
  
Now that didn't make any sense.  
  
Why would she be just standing there all somber like, fully prepared for battle?  
  
Then she was moving again, over to the tree.   
  
She stopped at Miroku and kissed the top of the head.  
  
'With the way that she's acting, it almost seems like she's leaving us… but why would she do that?'  
  
Instead of leaving, as Kagome had thought, Sango continued to stand there, and then stare into the trees, a look of bewilderment on her face.  
Was she … looking for her?  
  
After a few more moments of searching the trees, presumably for her or Inuyasha, the demon exterminator turned her head to look at her big boomerang.  
  
'Surely she wouldn't…'  
  
As if to prove otherwise, Sango brought the boomerang out in front of her, staring at it, and then up in the trees.  
  
'I'm really not in the mood right now to be hit with a big boomerang..'  
  
Realizing there really wasn't much else to do, she decided that she most definitely would have to go down there and stop her before she killed anyone.  
  
Trying her best not to wake him, she lifted herself from Inuyasha's lap, removing the hand he held possessively around her waist. He growled a little in protest, but stayed asleep. Shippo, for reasons far from her range of conceiving, had chose to sleep on Inuyasha's shoulder. The site of which, should have marked the end of the world, and if it weren't for her knowing what would happen for the next five hundred years, she would have been want to believe so.  
  
Sitting on the branch, right in front of Inuyasha, she looked down to find Sango, as well as Miroku. It really wouldn't do to fall on either of them. She saw them both easily and scooted up farther, so that she was far from in range of hitting them..  
  
Taking a deep breath, she mimicked what she had saw Inuyasha do earlier. Shift weight. Slide. Fall. Land Gracefully.  
  
Or land on your feet, then almost fall down if it weren't for an arm coming from your best friend supporting you.  
  
'Well what'da'ya know, Shippo was right, I didn't do half bad..'  
  
~~~  
  
As Sango stared up into the trees, she began to notice something rustling, surely no one was awake at this hour. But then, something was falling out of the tree!  
  
Something that looked a lot like Kagome.  
  
Before she knew it, Kagome was right in front of her, having landed on her feet, but wobbling miserably, she looked like she was about to fall over.  
  
Not wanting her friend to fall and wake everyone up, she reached out and steadied her.  
  
"Just what do you think your doing!", know not in threat of falling over, Kagome asked the question that had been playing in her head since she saw Sango at the door.  
  
Instead of answering, Sango clamped a hand over her mouth and led her away from the tree, Kagome, not knowing anything better to do, followed her.  
  
But even when they were out of Inuyasha's hearing range, Sango didn't stop, or say any word of explanation, in fact, she didn't stop until they had reached the edge of town.  
  
Once there, Sango finally released her hold on Kagome.  
  
"What are you doing!"  
  
"I'm going to fix this.", It didn't sound like there was any stopping her.  
  
"Fix what?! And where are you taking me?"  
  
"I'm taking you with me to fix this.", Sango glanced down at her abdomen in explanation for the former part of Kagome's question, before Kagome could ask anymore questions, Sango realized something, the girl would not go anywhere without telling Inuyasha, not since they'd became mates. "Ugh, we might be gone a while, do you want to leave Inuyasha a note?  
  
"I'd like to know where were going.", Kagome hesitated a moment, "but a note would be nice too.."  
  
Sango gave a meek smile and headed back to Kaede's.  
  
~  
  
Once again inside Kaede's hut, Sango went over to the scroll she had written.  
  
"I don't guess you can write this type of writing, can you?"  
  
Kagome took one glance at the scroll and knew at once that there was no way she could write in that style.  
She shook her head no.  
  
"Alright, what do you want me to write then?"  
  
"Wait…how do you know how to write, in history, they taught us that not many people were literate at this time…not people like demon exterminators."  
  
Sango glared at her, offended at the demon exterminator generalization, "Some people, like to be able to write a little Kagome, regardless of what they are.", seeing that Kagome hadn't meant it like that, she quickly explained, "There was an old woman in our village that taught those who wanted to learn; I wanted to learn. Now what do you want this to say?"  
  
"He's gonna be mad at me ya know…no matter what I say ... Umm…how about you say,   
  
Inuyasha,  
I'm sorry that I left without telling you, Sango is making me. Not forcefully, but, well, I have to because she's my friend. Please don't be mad at me. She says we will be back soon, though where we are going I'm not quite sure of. Take care of Shippo while I'm gone. I love you.  
  
Kagome."  
  
Sango hastily wrote down what Kagome dictated, even sloppier than the note above it. As she listened to what Kagome was saying, she was very much reassured on the fact that her note wasn't quite that pathetic.  
  
"um ... Does that sound okay?"  
  
Regardless of what she was really thinking Sango shook her head yes, there really wasn't time to go rewriting the note.  
  
Sango sat the note back to its previous position, and, feeling guilty, returned the ink and brush back to the trunk.  
  
Kagome looked at Kirara, watching them both from the bed. "Are we taking Kirara?"  
  
Sango noticed for the first time that Kirara was awake, she hadn't intended to take her, but there really wasn't any reason not too, besides, it would be the quickest way of transportation. "Sure, why not."  
  
She went over and picked up her cat demon friend, and now, once again, she was ready to set out.  
  
Kagome still looked confused, "so ... Where are we going?"  
  
Sango only smiled and pointed at Kagome's nose, "You tell me."  
  
****  
  
Sorry it took so long.  
I don't really have any excuse except that I didn't feel like writing.  
The next chapter should be out in less than a week, anywhere from 3-7 days.  
  
Angry shadow:That's really not good. I'm sorry to hear that..I hope your alright..and I hope things get better..  
  
mystic legacy: Sure, I don't mind if you use the term 'adult thing', and thanks for all the compliments!  
Oh, and in case you don't read this, I'll send you an email with my permision too.  
  
Vold and Tsukinoko: Thank you both for the help on what they used to write back then,it was very much appreciated.  
  
marshmellow_eater:Umm..no..no marshmellow demons for this story.  
  
Michelle w: hmm.. I don't know HOW many chapters..um..50 ish..maybe more.. I don't know.  
  
Armargo Scribe: Did you really think I could just KILL an innocent baby..no, there had to be hope!  
  
Okay, thats all I have to say...rather dramatic chapter ne? No humor at all..Hmm..It was over 3000 words long though..I'm still trying to write long chapters..yeah..Oh, and PLEASE REVIEW!!!  
  
And once again, I'm gonna tell you to all go read Bunny's fic, Its REALLY good.  
  
yeah.  
  
Anyway, yeah..oh I almost forgot, I mad a livejournal, and, though it really doesn't matter much to you all, it WILL have information on when I'm going to update and such.. www.deadjournal.com/users/fire_and_sun  
  
Well, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review..each of you. Everyone who reads this, PLEASE review.  
  
The 15 review rule is in affect.  
  
And if you I get a 50 or more reviews, the next chapter will be 5000 words.  
  
-Heather- 


	36. Kagura Can Make it Alllllllll Better!

Chapter?: Kagura can make you allllllllll better!  
  
*******************************************  
  
Kagome stared at the finger pointing to her nose for a minute before understanding what Sango meant.  
Slightly irritated, she batted her finger a way.  
  
"What do you mean 'you tell me'!? Stop avoiding my questions!"  
  
"Keep you voice down! Your going to wake up Kaede!"  
  
Kagome lowered her voice slightly, "Why do you need my nose?"  
  
"Because, I need to find someone, but I don't know where she is!"  
  
"Who?!"  
  
Sango turned her head to the sight, not wanting to meet Kagome's eyes, she knew how bizarre  
this was going to sound, "Kagura."  
  
"Kagura!?! Why in the world do you want to find her!?", yep, according to Kagome's voice, it   
was in fact, just as bizarre as she had thought it would be.  
  
Instead of answering her, Sango grabbed hold of Kagome's wrist and forcefully pulled her out the door,   
  
"I'll tell you once we aren't in danger of *anyone* hearing us."  
  
Kagome had been lead well past Inuyasha's post before deciding she was done obliging with   
Sango's orders, if she was going to just up and leave, seemingly with out reason, the least Sango could do tell her *why*!  
  
"And what makes you think that I can find Kagura anyway? I don't know what she smells like!"  
  
Sango stopped dead in her tracks. She hadn't thought of that. Kagome had been human   
in every encounter they had had with Kagura. She didn't know what she smelt like.  
  
"Oh. Yeah. You .. don't. . do you?"  
  
Kagome threw her hands up in the air, exasperated, "That's what I just said!"  
  
Sango stood there a minute, looking genuinely distressed, that is, untill she noticed the   
still untransformed cat youkai in her arms. She smiled.   
  
"Oh well, Kirara can do it for me, but you *still* have to come, I'll need you for moral support."  
  
Kagome didn't respond for a second, as she considered something, 'moral support' really   
didn't sound like a word they would use in feudal Japan,  
  
"Have you been reading my dictionary again?"  
  
Sango ignored her question, as it really didn't matter anyway, and she wasn't quite sure what   
she was talking about,   
  
"Kirara?"  
  
The little cat demon transformed into her larger form, apparently already knowing what Sango wanted her to do.  
  
Sango hopped on, then noticed that Kagome was still standing on the ground, "Get on."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Sango sighed, "Kagome, would you stop being so stubborn? Your *not* Inuyasha! Now get on,   
we are making too much noise here."  
  
Kagome continued to stand her ground, "... why?"  
  
"Ugh, Kagome! Fine, if I promise to tell you what's going one as soon as we are out of the village, will you get on?"  
  
Kagome debated that for a moment, she really hadn't intended to stay here and let Sango go on her own,  
she was only being stubborn in hopes that Sango would explain right then and there.   
However, seeing as how Sango didn't seem to be backing down, she reluctantly boarded the cat demon.  
  
Sango turned to look at Kagome graciously, "Thanks .. I really do appreciate this..", not giving Kagome time to respond,   
she turned back around, "Kirara, head to the outskirts of the village."  
The cat demon took off.  
  
***  
  
Kirara stopped, they had arrived at the edge of the village.  
"Alright Kirara, I need you to take us to Kagura.", without hesitation, Kirara took off once again,  
under Sango's order.  
  
Having finally made it out of the village, Kagome was determined to make Sango keep her promise,   
  
"Alright, what are you doing .. Or why are we trying to find Kagura?"  
  
"We are trying to find Kagura because she is the only one that can help me.."  
  
"Help you? *Kagura*? Are you feeling arlight?"  
  
"Hey, she owes us one, remember, we did free her from Naraku .."  
  
"Yeah, but how exactly can she help you?"  
  
"Kagome …", Sango sighed, "Do you remember what Kaede said earlier?"  
  
Kagome thought back to the conversation they had had with Kaede, tyring to find any thing she might have said to   
upset Sango so much .. Well, other than the fact that she had told her her baby was dying. She   
mused a little more before coming upon something that was sure to make Sango distressed.  
  
"That you aren't strong enough?"  
  
Sango nodded, "Right, and you understand what that means to me ..correct?"  
  
Kagome knew what Sango meant, she knew what strength meant to Sango, and also what it might mean to have it   
suddenly taken away, when before it hadn't been anything she had ever worried about.  
  
Kagome attempted to comfort her, "Your still just as strong as you used to be Sango .."  
  
Sango only shook her head, "Not strong *enough* though, I'm so weak that I can't even save my own child!"  
  
"Sango…."  
  
"What Kagome!? Is it not true?"  
  
Kagome wasn't quite sure how to respond, she couldn't deny it, it was unfortunately true. "But…"  
  
"But what?!"  
"I'ts not your fault …"  
  
"Not my fault that what Kagome?! That I couldn't have been *born* a demon? That I couldn't have stumbled into a well   
and found myself the sole owner of a magical jewel that could make me into one?"  
  
"W-What? What are you talking about?", Sango was really starting to disturb Kagome, she was acting so… strange.  
  
Sango tried to cool down, she was overreacting and upsetting Kagome, " Sorry about the yelling, it's just that,  
I'm kind of jealous of you…"  
  
"Jealous of me? What do I have that you don't? Surely your not secretly in love with Inuyasha.."  
  
Of course, Kagome knew that she did have other things Sango didn't, a mother, a brother, a grandfather... she at  
least had a family, other than this strange one they had formed…  
  
Sango chuckled a bit at that, no, she was most definitely not secretly pining over Inuyasha, "No Kagome.. It's not that.."  
  
"Then what? .. Your family?"  
  
Sango cringed a bit at that one, " No.. I have ... accepted that ...", she sighed again, "Do you remember that  
conversation we had?"  
" I don't know, could you be a little more vague?"  
  
Sango smiled a little, she really could have been more specific, "Remember, right after you became.. a hanyou?"  
  
"What ..what do you mean?"  
  
"Well ..we were talking about how the past would be forgotten for the present, and how, a hundred years  
from now, I wouldn't even be remembered. And how… I would die, and you would keep on living."  
  
"Yes… I remember, but, I'm not quite sure I follow you.."  
  
"Kagome, weeks ago, I was perfectly willing to die avenging my family, remember when I first met you and   
Inuyasha? I was trying to kill him, because of Naraku's manipulation, and I knew that killing him would cost me my  
own life, but it didn't matter, because that was fine with me. I would die with honor."  
  
Kagome was beginning to understand, "please go on.."  
  
Sango nodded and continued, "But, it's not like that now.. Now I have so much to live for! So much   
has changed! Kagome.. As shameful as this is to admit it.. I'm afraid of dieing, I don't want to… and *you* don't  
have to, you know why? Because you're a youkai."  
  
Kagome was starting to take not of all the youkai references.  
  
Sango paused a moment, letting that new information sink in with Kagome,   
"Well, at least you won't have to for a *long* time. I've kept this realization far at the back of my mind  
.. Ignored it, untill now. You know what brought it out in the open again? Tsuyu. That damn bird youkai, she   
made me painfully aware of my own mortality.."  
  
She took a breath of air, "Kagome, if I were a youkai, I would have been able to see Tsuyu. If I were a youkai,   
my baby would heal itself. If I were a youkai, wouldn't have to worry about 'not being strong enough', I wouldn't  
have to worry about death, aging, or anything else such as that…"  
  
Okay, now it was getting damn near impossible for Kagome to ignore all the mentioning of youkai.  
  
"Sango are you … do you want to … Your not thinking what I think your thinking .. Are you?"  
  
"Well … only if you think I'm thinking that I'm a shameful jealous coward that fully intends to be a   
youkai before the nights over."  
  
Kagome, to say the least, was shocked. Sure, she had had some kind of an idea as to what she was getting at .. But  
hearing her say it aloud was .. Strange. She knew she had to say something. Sango was obviously berating   
herself for this decision, and it was her duty as her friend to reasure her, besides, she really didn't see anything   
wrong with the idea, in fact, she was thrilled to learn that she wouldn't have to live through eternity with *only*   
Inuyasha and Shippo.  
  
"That's…Great!"  
  
"Eh?", obviously, that hadn't been quite the reaction Sango was expecting, "Great?"  
  
"Of course it's great! Why wouldn't I want to keep my best friend with me forever? This is  
such a relief, now I don't have to worry about you getting old and dieing while I stay young and healthy!   
Hey, you *do* plan to make Miroku into the same as well.. Right?"  
  
Sango shuddered a little, "Um.. yes.. But I'm not exactly sure how he's going to take this…which is why I though I'd just .. Surprise him…"  
  
"And what a surprise it will be…", Kagome noticed her friend was seriously concerned about this, "Don't worry Sango!  
It's *Miroku*, give him a little action and he'll be happy as ever."  
  
"Hentia."  
  
"Oh, come on, you know I'm right."  
  
"Well… maybe so .. But you still have a dirty mind.", Sango smiled, glad that she had brought Kagome along,  
she really was good at this 'moral support' thing, "Thanks Kagome.."  
  
"No problem, anyway, you have to tell me, where exactly does Kagura come in to play? And just how do you plan   
to become a youkai?"  
  
" Actualy, change a few words around in that sentence, and you've answered your own question; Kagura   
is going to make me into youkai."  
  
"Kagura? And just how would she do that? She's weaker than Inuyasha, and he can't even make people into youkai."  
  
"And there is where your wrong. Kagura *was* weaker than Inuyasha. Key word, 'was',  
she is now possibly strong as Naraku was."  
  
"W-What?!"  
  
"Listen Kagome, think of it this way, Naraku was incredibly powerful, he was not only skilled in  
the art of combat, but he was also capable of controlling the golems he used, and many other different spells.  
He was able to separate Onigumu from himself, create offspring from himself, which I don't even want to know   
*how* he did, and many many other things, as well as things we don't even know about. He was an   
extraordinarily powerful youkai. In fact, he was probably more skilled in spell craft than he was physically."  
  
"Alright ..but what does that have to do with Kagura?"  
  
"Okay, so Naraku was incredibly powerful. But then we, well , to be more specific, *you* killed him.  
*He* died, but that doesn't mean his powers did. Such power couldn't just die Kagome, it couldn't just   
vanish, it was too great, so it had to go somewhere. And not just anywhere mind you, it had to go to   
someplace connected with Naraku. Since Naraku was far too strange to just be normal and find a mate and   
have kids, the only things connected to him, were his 'offspring underlings'. Which, actually had a closer  
bond to him than any true children would have, as his offspring were produced from himself."  
  
Kagome was starting to get it now, "So, with Kanna dead, it had to go to Kagura? Right?"  
  
"Right."  
  
"So.. Kagura has all the power that Naraku did?!", this new found information was kind of unnerving.  
  
"Not the physical power, only the spells and such."  
  
"Then.. Why hasn't she attacked us?"  
  
"There are a number of possibilities as to why she hasn't attacked us, maybe she is afraid that  
Inuyasha might still be stronger than her, maybe she just doesn't want to, or more than likely,  
she doesn't feel any need to, with Naraku gone, we are no longer her enemies."  
  
"And what makes you think she can actually do this? Better yet, what makes you think she *will* do this?"  
  
"I think she can do this because if Naraku was strong enough to *create* youkai, surely he can make a   
human into one, and I think she will, simply because she owes us one."  
  
"..oh.. Your not wanting to be a *full* youkai … Are you?"  
  
"And risk losing my mind?! I think not. Hanyou is all I want, besides, if I were full youkai  
, I'd outlive all of you, and have to go be friends with Seshoumaru."  
  
Kagome giggled, "I'm sure that would be fun…"  
  
Sango was about to make another joke regarding the fluffiest youkai  
around, when Kirara stopped abruptly.  
  
"Are we.. Here?" Sango looked around in the dim light for any sign of Kagura. Then, she spotted the wind youkai,   
sitting on her feather, about five feet in the air, letting her legs dangle off the side.  
  
"Well, well, well, I was wandering when you two would finally pay me a visit."  
  
***********************  
  
Shippo stirred in his sleep. He continued to move around uncomfortably before finally waking up.  
  
The first thing he noticed was that it was still night time, and the second thing he noticed, was that Kagome was  
missing. She wasn't in Inuyasha's lap, and he couldn't smell her.  
  
"K-Kagome?" What if a big youkai came up and ate her?! Or she fell down and broke her neck? Or-or-or ..  
  
...or maybe she just went down to go to the bathroom.  
  
'I really do need to stop over reacting.'  
  
'I'll just wait a while and see if she comes back .. And if she doesn't, well, I'll do something then."  
  
So the little kitsune waited, and waited, and waited, untill he decided that if Kagome was taking that long   
to go to the bathroom, she was having problems anyway.  
  
So what should he do? Go look for her? By himself? Should he wake Inuyasha?   
  
Normally, that wouldn't be one of the options he provided himself with, but, Inuyasha was now Kagome's mate,  
and he was technically Inuyasha's pup. It was his duty to tell Inuyasha.  
  
Tentatively, he poked Inuyasha's cheek, since it was the closest thing in reach.  
  
"Inuyasha?"  
  
Poke.  
"Inuyasha?"  
  
Poke.  
  
"Inuyasha?"  
  
Poke.  
  
"Inu-"  
  
And then something had grabbed his big fluffy tail and hung him upside down.  
  
"Um.. Hi Inuyasha."  
  
"What the hell were you doing!?"  
  
"Um…notice anything missing?"  
  
A second went buy. Two seconds. Three seconds..and..  
  
"Kagome!"  
  
"Yeah.. So you noticed? She's gone."  
  
"Well, maybe she just went to the bathroom or something."  
  
"Nope, I waited for a while to make sure that wasn't what she was doing."  
  
"You waited! And gave her time to be taken farther and farther away!"  
  
"Hey! I didn't want to wake you up for no reason!"  
  
Inuyasha stopped a moment, considering whether or not he should fling Shippo into .. Something.   
At last, he decided that Shippo had didn the right thing., so he sat him back down on his shoulder.  
  
"Alright Shippo, hold on."  
  
Barely giving Shippo any time to hold on to anything, Inuyasha lept out of the tree, right in front of Miroku.  
  
Inuyasha licked miroku's leg. "Wake up monk."  
  
Miroku grumbled something in his sleep, but didn't wake up.  
  
Shippo jumped from Inuyasha's shoulder to Miroku's, and promptly screamed in his ear. "WAKE UP YOU BIG BAKA!"  
  
Needless to say, that got the houshi up.  
  
Miroku lept to his feet, "W-wha- eh?"  
  
"Kagome's missing. Come on, we gotta go wake up Sango.  
  
" grmm umm .. Eh?"  
  
"Come on!"  
  
Finally coming to his senses, Miroku followed Inuyasha and Shippo into the hut, only to find that,  
  
Sango wasn't there either.  
  
Actually, it appeared as though she had been turned into a scroll.  
  
"Um, Sango isn't really a kitsune .. Is she?", Shippo kept staring at the scroll which was in the exact place  
they had left Sango.  
  
Inuyasha grabbed the scroll off the futon and urolled it, "Of course she's not you baka! This is a note!",  
he tossed it to Miroku, "What's it say?"  
  
Miroku read through the note addressed to him quickly.  
  
"Damn it!"  
  
Now Inuyasha was concerned, 'Damn it' wasn't exactly a reassuring reaction.  
  
Shippo was back to over reacting, "Is it a ransom? A threat? A.."  
Inuyasha silenced the kitsune by covering his mouth. "What is it Miroku."  
  
"A note, from Sango and Kagome, but mostly from Sango."  
  
"Well!? What's it say?!"  
  
Miroku reread the note aloud, word for word, he wasn't really sure what to do, and he was   
infinitely curious as to what Sango was talking about, she had asked him not to follow her,   
but still … "What do we do Inuyasha?"  
  
Inuyasha debated this in his head. His demon side was, for once, arguing with itself,   
part of it was telling him that it was his duty to protect his mate, while the other was   
telling him he needed to honor her wishes.  
  
His human side, tried to be reasonable, Kagome could protect herself, he had seen what   
she had done to Kikyou, and she had asked him not to follow her, and yet, he still needed   
to protect her, he had promised to protect her long ago, and he couldn't just back out of it.  
But… 'Ugh! I don't know what to do! Stupid, damn different sides to my personality!'  
  
Inuyasha shrugged and sat Shipp down on the ground, "Alright Kit, unfortunately your  
part of my family now, what'da'ya think we should do?"  
  
Shippo was really surprised to have Inuyasha place such a decision   
on his shoulders, hell, he was surprised that Inuyasha would place anything  
on his shoulers other than a fist.  
  
"M-me? You want *me* to decide?!"  
  
"Yep, you.", mainly it was simply because Inuyasha just couldn't   
decide what to do, and no matter what Shippo decided, he really couldn't   
disagree with either one.  
  
"Your letting *Shippo* decide?!"  
  
Shippo looked at Miroku defensively, "Hey!"  
  
"But! Your..*Shippo!"  
  
Inuyasha smirked, "Really now? I hadn't noticed *that* before, wow Shippo!   
You really *are* Shippo!", Inuyasha's expression turned back to being serious,  
  
"So what'll it be kid?"  
  
"Well .. You *are* supposed to protect her .. But maybe she'll be arlight now that she's a hanyou ...   
And she *did* ask you to stay here.. and if she gets hurt ...I'll be able to smell *her* blood in the air from miles away  
... I think we should stay..  
  
Inuyasha nodded, "Alright then, we wait."  
***Seshy Maru!***  
  
Seshoumaru had long since taken the pig tails out of his hair, after running into two minor youkai   
and finding them laughing at him hysterically, for seemingly no reason.  
  
After appropriately killing them, he had realized what they were laughing at, and of course  
taken the pig tails out of his hair, deciding that never again would he not allow Rin to talk .. Now   
that he knew what repercussions that could bring.  
  
***********A/N***  
  
Yep, that took a long time to write. You know why? Because I was upset over the lack of reviews,   
yeah yeah, I got 23, but still! Anyway, I wasn't going to write untill I received 600 reviews,  
luckily for you unreviewers, Vold reviewed 4 times! So there, bow down on your knees in praise to her.  
  
I actually considered ceasing to write this story.. Mainly because I was just upset about the lack of reviews..  
But I updated..just because.  
  
Anyway, you sure as hell better update this time, or I won't update for 2 weeks! Or maybe not at all!  
  
Oh and for you people that did review, You are wonderful and great people, who shall be rewarded by good  
fortune and luck for the rest of your days. You all are my favorites! Not those evil ones that didn't review!  
  
*glomps all of the reviewers*  
  
*kicks an unreveiwer*  
  
Vold: Thanks for all the reviews, I seriously don't know what would have happened to this story if it weren't  
for you, your always there with encouragement, reassuring me that this isn't all pointless.  
  
And thanks so much to everyone else who reviewed.  
  
When will the next chapter be out? I dunno. It's up to you guys.  
  
REVIEW REVIEW!!  
  
That girl.  
-Heather- 


	37. I've Been Watching You

Chapter?: I've been watching you  
  
~~~  
  
"Well, well, well, I was wandering when you two would finally pay me a visit."  
  
Kagome and Sango jumped off of Kirara quickly and stood side by side, completely on guard.  
  
There was something about that sentence that confused Kagome. The way Kagura had said it sounded as if she had been *expecting* them! That was just strange.  
  
"What would make you think that we were going to visit you?", Apparently Sango was wandering the same thing, and she sounded a tad bit uneasy about it.  
  
"What I can't understand,", Kagura began distastefully, "Is just why you would want to be a lowly hanyou.. Though, I suppose anything would be a step up from what you are now. Oh, and Kagome, love the new look!"  
  
Kagura's whole manner of speaking infuriated Kagome, she acted as if she were better than everyone. Maybe it was just the hanyou blood in her reacting so violently to that voice, or maybe it was just her usual stubborn and defiant personality.  
  
"How.. How did you know that?", Sango was still feeling caught off guard. How could Kagura know that she had been wanting to become hanyou? Had she been.. spying on them?  
  
Kagome finally picked up to what had lain beneath that cocky tone, Kagura had just inferred that she knew exactly the reason for why they had came, "Hey! How *did* you know that?"  
  
Sango shot Kagome an agitated glance, as if to say, 'I just said that.'.  
  
"Oh, you didn't notice? I've been watching you."  
  
Kagome had definitely *not* noticed. How could she have been watching them? Wouldn't she have smelt something? Wouldn't *Inuyasha* have smelt something? Shippo even?  
  
"Your just lying! We would have smelt something!"  
  
Sango nodded her head in agreement, Kagura had probably just made a few lucky guesses or something.  
  
"Lying am I? If I were lying, than how would I know what you were in the midst of only a few days ago.. You know, that, 'thing' you were in, that, as a mortal, you had never experienced before?"  
  
Kagome blushed. Kagura had known she was in heat? What did she do? Watch Inuyasha and her mate? What a pervert! Needless to say, Kagome got even angrier than she was before.  
  
"You, you, YOU HENTIA!"  
At this point, Sango was just confused, "Kagome, what is she talking about?"  
  
Kagome blushed.  
Actually, Kagura was blushing as well. Now *that* was something she had never done. But she couldn't help it, Inuyasha's mate though she had *watched* them! That was just nasty!  
  
"No, No, No! I didn't watch *that*! Eww! As soon as I smelt that you were in heat, I *stopped* watching you for a few days! Eeeeew!"  
  
Sango's eyes went wide in revelation. "heat? Kagome? You?", it seemed as though she had lost the ability to complete a whole sentence.  
  
Kagome blushed even harder and nodded quickly, "um.. Can we just, not talk about that?"  
  
Kagura smirked, the little mortal-hanyou was embarrassed. She should have known, for anyone not a youkai, such a subject probably would have been embarrassing.   
  
"Oh, you didn't want your little friend to know, did you? Oops."  
  
Sango was starting to rethink this whole 'going hanyou' thing. Heat? She shuddered at the thought of Miroku with her in heat, that would just be terrifying… Miroku, even more perverted than he already was? Absolutely terrifying…  
  
Kagome growled, but stopped as soon as she realized what she was doing. She still wasn't quite used to making strange noises when upset, "Kagura, why have you been watching us?"  
  
Kagura hopped off her feather and approached the other two girls. Without warning, she reached over and tweaked one of Kagome's ears.  
  
"Hey! What are you doing!?", Kagome grabbed hold of her own ear possessively, "That's mine!"  
  
Kagura couldn't help but laugh a little, "so it is.."  
  
Kagome pushed Kagura away, and couldn't help but be amazed at her own strength. She had pushed Kagura a good ten feet away with such little effort..  
  
"You didn't' t answer me! Why have you been watching us? And how come we didn't sense you?"  
  
The wind youkai seemed surprised herself that she was suddenly on the ground so far away from Kagome. The girl had gotten strong. She rose gracefully and dusted herself off.  
  
"Your friend there was correct on her assumption that I've inherited that bastard's powers. I can hide my scent quite well now, not only that, but I'm pretty good at being quite. As for your other question, haven't you ever heard the saying, 'Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer'?"  
  
"So, we're your enemies are we?", Kagome was beginning to question if this whole encounter might end in a fight. She shortened the distance between herself and Kagura, that way she could catch her if she tried anything sneaky.  
  
The demon exterminator moved closer to Kagome, not at all trusting Kagura. She held her boomerang threateningly.   
  
Kirara followed Sango.  
  
Kagura took a disdainful glance at the pregnant demon exterminator, "Do you really think you should be fighting in your condition."  
  
It seemed as though Sango suddenly remember just why she had came here. "Can you do it?", she had meant for her tone to sound menacing, but instead it had came out more pleading.  
  
"Do what? Make you into a hanyou? Of course I can. But that's not really the question is it? It's not *can* I do it, it's *will* I do it."  
  
Kagome approached Kagura even closer, determined. "Hey! You owe us one! We killed Naraku! Now you don't have to do his bidding anymore. We freed you!"  
  
Kagura smiled, "You asked if we were enemies. I never said that we were, but one must be cautious. Perhaps I am just used to having to look over my shoulder every minute? You'd be amazed at what it's like to have someone hold your own life in their hands. And you, in a sense, saved me. I suppose I do owe you one. But you must understand, it's not easy for me to just so easily change perspectives on people. You are supposed to be my enemies."  
  
As reluctant as she was to admit it, Sango actually did understand. In a way, she had had went through the same things, changing perspectives on people. After all, all her life Kohaku had been her little brother, who she could trust and love. And then, suddenly he had been her enemy. That really had been hard to adjust to. Unknowingly, she nodded her head in affirmation.  
  
Kagura noticed the nod, and for a second, it looked as if she almost felt pity for the demon exterminator. "Yes, I guess you would understand wouldn't you…", she looked away, mumbling something under her breath, "I... really am sorry that happened to you", she turned her head back, looking Sango square in the eyes, "..if it helps to know.. When he did the truly evil things... It wasn't him at all. It wasn't like when Naraku ordered me to do something and I did it to save my own life. No, Kohaku would refuse, he was willing to die rather than do those awful things, but Naraku wouldn't let that happen, he needed him to get to you, so he simply possessed Kohaku... Even though the boy didn't remember who he was... He still had the same values... He never was evil.."  
  
A tear ran down Sango's face, though she was smiling, "Thank you... for telling me."  
  
Kagome raised an eyebrow, not quite understanding what had just went on. First Kagura had been being mean and cocky, but suddenly she was all sympathetic and kind. It really didn't make much since. She really didn't understand what she was meant by 'changing perspectives' either…though, if Sango understood, and had calmed down so much, then it must have made some kind of since.  
  
"Your baby's life depends on this doesn't it? Whether I do this for you or not?"  
  
Sango nodded, "You can do it right? Turn me and Miroku into hanyous?"  
  
"I... think I can... You two won't be as true hanyou as Kagome is. The jewel turned her into one as if she has never been anything else before. I can only give you the lifespan, and I can improve your strength, and give you the power to heal yourself as youkai do. I'm not sure if your appearance will change or not. To be honest, I'm not all to aware of my own powers now... I do know one thing that you will definitely not get that Kagome has. Kagome, like all youkai, full or not, has special abilities, you know, like special attacks. So far she has only used one, but I'm sure over time she'll discover more. You won't have those kind of things."  
  
"Just as well, you know as well as I do that that's not one of my main concerns.. but.. will you do it?", Sango looked hopefully at Kagura.  
  
"If I do this now, I won't be able to do it again for years. It will drain a lot of my power, and it might take me decades even to regain it all. In truth, it is fortunate that you asked to be hanyou rather than full, I don't really think I'm strong enough to turn two people full….yes... I will do it... I owe it to you... besides, I have no real use for such power."  
  
In a very uncharacteristic act, Sango hugged Kagura graciously. It took a minute for her to realize what she had just done, and as soon as she did, she immediately backed off,   
  
"ummm... Sorry..? I guess... well... see... um... I was just so worried... that... my baby might die... and... Thank you."  
  
The wind youkai seemed to be in a state of shock. She stood still a minute, as if replaying the incident in her mind a few times before responding. "You know... No one has ever done that before. I mean, I've never had someone be so thankful to me that they would hug me in appreciation. I feel happy? Is that what you feel like when you do something good for someone?"  
  
Kagome smiled, it seemed like Kagura had a heart after all. Wait, of course she did.. That was why Naraku could control her. Kagome was confusing herself, so she stopped thinking about such confusing subjects.  
  
"Yes, it does feel rewarding to do something nice for people."  
  
Kagura smirked, "Maybe I should do it more often…"  
  
Sango looked up to the sky, looking to see what the position of the moon was. It was getting lower. Soon it would be replaced by the sun. They needed to hurry and get this over with, she wanted to be back before sunrise, no use worrying Miroku anymore than he was already.  
  
"So…shall we get this over with?"  
  
"Alright, Everyone be really quite, since you didn't bring the monk with you, I'm going to have to really concentrate to make sure that I get his location right...", She sniffed at the air trying her best to concentrate on finding his scent, as well as his energy. She closed her eyes.  
  
Sango began to tremble. What if this didn't work? What if something went wrong? What if this was all just an elaborate trick made by Kagura to kill Miroku and herself? There were so many possibilities, none of which she was too fond of.  
  
Kagome observed Kagura. The wind youkai was gathering up all her energy. She could see it all forming a ball of pink light surrounding Kagura. Since Sango seemed not to notice anything happening yet, she assumed that she was the only one who could see this energy gathering. The light changed from pink to a dark red. It seemed as though her energy was getting stronger. The energy was beginning to make noise resembling static on a television screen, as the noise got louder, the light got darker, until it turned to a murky reddish-brown. It seemed as though Sango could at least here the noise, as she had stopped trembling and was now gazing in wander at Kagura.  
  
The wind youkai knew she was over straining herself, doing this could probably end up in herself being unconscious for a week or two. She wasn't quite strong enough yet to be doing this, she hadn't learned how to use Naraku's powers correctly. She couldn't exactly wait though, if she didn't do something soon, than the demon exterminator's child would die. She was almost there anyway, she had gathered up all her energy, just another level and she would succeed. She reached within herself, emptying herself of any energy she could find. Grimacing, she brought it all out at once.  
Suddenly, the light Kagome had been watching turned to black, no more tones of red. Just all out black. And black had never been a color she had associated with good things. She only hoped that this would be an exception.  
  
Almost immediately after turning black, two beams of purple light shot out of the energy ball. One went straight for Sango, hitting her square in the chest and lifting her off the ground, surrounding her in it's light. Her boomerang fell to the ground. It appeared as though she was no longer conscious, as her body seemed limp and she made no move of resistance. The other beam shot off into the distance, passing straight through trees and everything else that got in it's way, until it undoubtedly met with Miroku.  
  
The light around Kagura vanished, and the wind youkai collapsed to the ground. Sango was held suspended in the air for a moment longer, until the light around her vanished as well, and she was dropped to the ground. Since Sango had been very high up in the air, it was a rather lucky thing that Kagome caught her.   
  
The hanyou placed her friend delicately on the dew sodden grass. Kirara came and nudged at Sango's head.  
  
"Sango? Are you alright?"  
  
Sango didn't respond, however, her body was answering for her. Her human ears disappeared. Two furry black pointed ears appeared at the top of her head. They were much more triangular than Kagome's. Cat ears.  
  
Kagome grabbed hold of Sango's hand to examine her finger nails. Yep, just as she had expected, they had became longer and sharper, actually, they seemed even sharper than her own. Of course… if she had cat ears, she would have cat claws.  
  
"It.. It worked..", Kagome noticed that Sango had began to stir, and would more than likely wake up soon, remembering her own experience, she covered Sango's cat ears.  
  
Sango's eyes slowly opened. The first thing she was aware of, was that she could see perfectly, much better than she had been able to see before. She had night vision. The second thing she noticed was that everything was very loud, though somewhat muffled, and she felt pressure somewhere on the top of her head that had never existed before. And the third thing she realized, was that the spell had worked.  
  
Ignoring how loud everything was, and what a head ache it was giving her, she reached up to where she knew her new ears were sure to be. She attempted to remove Kagome's hands.  
  
"Let go of my ears Kagome." The sound of her own voice surprised Sango. It was somehow.. different.. yet the same... It sounded… smoother…  
  
"But it will *really* hurt if I do."  
  
"Kagome, I'm a demon exterminator, I've suffered far worse than this."  
  
Reluctantly, Kagome released her hold on Sango's ears.  
  
At first, the noise came in all at once, and it did indeed hurt her ears, but Sango resisted the urge to cry out. She had told Kagome she could handle it, and handle it she would. Instead of concentrating on the sheer volume of the noise, she tried to just listen to what she could here. She marveled at all the sounds she had not been able to hear before, as well as all the scents her nose was picking up. It was amazing. She smiled, and for the first time became aware of her new fangs now biting into her lip.  
  
"Did my hair change color?", She looked to her friend that hadn't stopped staring.  
"N-no... but, your eyes did. They're green."  
  
"Green?"  
  
"Yes... Your ears are black."  
  
Sango reached under herself, it seemed that there was a rock under her or something, actually, it kind of felt like a snake. Finally she found whatever was irritating her, she grabbed onto it roughly, only to find that that brought her severe pain. Confused, she stood up, hand still on whatever she had grabbed hold of, she brought it out in front of her, well, as far as it would go. It seemed that what had been under her, was herself. She had a tail. A furry, black cat tail.  
  
"I have a tail."  
  
Kagome looked at the black tail in Sango's hand and couldn't resist the urge to touch it. She rubbed one finger over it's soft and silky fur.  
  
"Um yep, you do."  
  
"Kagome.. I'm … a cat hanyou aren't I?"  
Kagome took a step back and examined her friend. Cat ears, cat tail, green cat eyes, and long claws. Yep, it looked like she was a cat youkai. She made note of the demon exterminator outfit she was wearing, which, in her own time, resembled a cat suit. How very fitting.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Oh."  
  
A low groaning noise was heard by both the hanyous. Immediately they remembered what they had previously overlooked.  
  
"Kagura! What happened to her?", Sango ran to the side of the fallen wind youkai.  
  
Kagome followed her friend, "I.. Don't know, she just collapsed."  
  
"Kagura? Are you alright?", After not receiving a response, Sango slapped her across the face.  
  
The wind youkai's eyes fluttered open, "Did it work? Yes... It seems as though it did."  
  
Sango and Kagome helped Kagura to her feet.  
  
"Are you alright?"  
  
Kagura nodded at Kagome, "Just feeling a little drained, I'm feeling better than I expected though.."  
  
Sango ran her fingers over her tail again, admiring it, "You wouldn't happen to know why I have a tail would you?"  
  
"I told you you might not have the same attributes as Kagome, usually hanyous don't have tails.. But it seems that you are an exception."  
  
Kagome and Sango brought Kagura over to her feather and sat her a top it. Kirara approached Sango, holding the demon exterminator's boomerang in her mouth.  
  
"Thanks Kirara." Sango took the boomerang from her cat youkai companion.  
  
Kirara meowed. Now, usually, that wasn't really an incident worth noting.. Usually. Of course, usually, when Kirara meowed, all Sango heard was a meow.  
  
"What the hell?", Sango jumped back away from Kirara.  
  
Kagome was thoroughly confused, "Urm… Sango? You alright?  
  
Kagura seemed just as genuinely perplexed as Kagome.  
  
Sango pointed at Kirara accusingly, "She's not supposed to talk!"  
  
"Um… she didn't talk, Sango.."  
  
"You.. didn't hear that?"  
  
"Hear what?"  
  
"She.. she said.. 'I always knew you'd look better as a cat'..", Sango hesitantly approached Kirara, "Did.. I imagine that?"  
Kirara opened her mouth and a meow sounded, well, that was what Kagome and Kagura heard at least.  
  
'So, you can hear me know? I'm sure you'll make better conversation than Shippo.'  
  
Sango held back a laugh, after all, it really wouldn't do to laugh at something that wasn't real.  
  
"I.. think I'm going insane."  
  
Without warning, a voice came out of seemingly nowhere, "You are far from being insane, since you are now a cat youkai, you can understand Kirara, since she is a cat demon. All cat youkai of any kind can understand each other. Kirara speaks in a cat's truest tongue, and only other cat youkai, and some full youkai, such as Shippo, can understand her."  
  
Kagome knew that voice. That voice that would seemingly appear out of nowhere and bestow information at convenient times. She looked at her shoulder, where she was sure she would find the source of that voice.  
  
"Myouga? And just where have you been lately?"  
  
"Why Kagome-sama, I have been, of course, gathering information and such. Might I add that you look especially beautiful as a dog demon? My congratulations on becoming Inuyasha's mate."  
  
"Oh really? And just what information have you found?"  
  
"Well.. uh… Alright, I admit it, I was waiting until I was sure that it was safe. Please understand Kagome-sama, I had to keep myself safe, lest I not be able to fulfill my duties to you and Inuyasha anymore."  
  
"Right.", Kagome plucked Myouga off of her shoulder and squished him between her fingers.  
  
The flea slowly wafted to the ground. "I deserved that."  
  
"Your right, you did."  
  
Sango seemed to be pondering the new found lack of a language barrier between herself and Kirara, she was sure as hell going to take advantage of it.  
  
"Kirara?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Your talking."  
  
"Really? I didn't notice."  
  
"Your sarcastic."  
  
"Yep."  
  
"You have a personality, other than 'meow'." Sango was surprised that what would have usually came out as a very humanistic way of saying 'meow', instead sounded exactly like a cat.  
  
"You meowed."  
  
"Yes.. I did."  
  
"Good job."  
  
"Very funny."  
  
"Cat ears really suit you.."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"You know, You probably look pretty stupid, talking to a cat in a human voice. You know, you can talk as a cat now."  
  
Sango experimented with that, she attempted to make the words she wanted to say come out in cat language.  
  
"So I can."  
  
"Yep."  
Kagome and Kagura watched the conversation between Sango and Kirara play out.It was, to say the least, strange. Sango would say something human, and then Kirara would meow. It only got stranger when Sango began meowing too.  
  
Kagome turned to Kagura, "Um.. Did you know she would be able to do that?"  
  
Kagura shook her head. "um.. no"  
  
"Well, I must be leaving now, send my regards to Inuyasha-sama..", Apparently, Myouga had returned to Kagome's shoulder.  
  
"Hold it flea. Why do you need to be leaving so quickly? Is something *bad* going to happen?"  
  
Myouga glanced around nervously, "Well.. Um.. Let's just say that your trouble with Tsuyu isn't quite over yet, I need to go seek shelter until the danger has passed."  
  
"And when might that be?"  
  
"Um.. A year?"  
  
"What do you know about her that we don't?"  
  
"Well.. Uh.. I just know that she isn't done with you yet. She means to kill Sango's child, and now, since it is going to live, she's going to be coming back. If you will let me leave, I can go find out more information for you."  
  
Kagome considered this for a moment, "Well… Alright, but you have to come back with all you know as soon as you know it! And if you don't.. well, let's just say that I'm even scarier than Inuyasha when I'm mad."  
  
Sango took a break with her ongoing conversation with Kirara to nod her head, "Yep, she really is."  
  
Kagome glared at her friend, "Hey!", however, Sango was too caught up in her conversation with Kirara to notice.  
  
"Alright I promise Kagome-sama, that I will return. Just let me be."  
  
Kagome flicked Myouga off of her shoulder, "okay, go away then."  
  
Myouga scurried off.  
  
"Who was that?"  
  
"Just a cowardly flea."  
  
"of course.."  
  
"I guess.. that we are going to be leaving pretty soon… are you feeling better?"  
  
"Well, it's going to take longer than I though for my energy to fully regain, but I'll be fine."  
  
"Thanks.. We really appreciate it."  
  
"Well, I had to make up for all those time's I tried to kill you all."  
  
"What exactly do you plan to do, now that Naraku is dead.. And you can really stop stalking us, we're not going to hurt you… unless you give us a reason too.."  
  
Kagura smirked, "Don't worry about that, mainly, I'm done with being evil, I plan to just lay low and be free, enjoy not having someone holding your heart in their hands, oh, and I'm also going to keep avoiding Seshoumaru."  
  
"Eh? Seshy's been bothering you?"  
"Oh, he refuses to believe that you could have killed Naraku, and his pride's too big to just come and ask you all who did it, so he's chasing me around since he knows I'm the only other person who was there that is still alive. I've successfully avoided him so far, but I'm beginning to tire of this game, and besides, that little girl he carries around is starting to get tired. Oh, and did you just call him Sesshy?"  
  
Kagome giggled, Sesshoumaru was *so* weird, "Well, good luck with that.. And yes, I did just call him Sesshy, I picked it up from Rin, and you should start refering to him as that too, as he finds it very embarrassing.. hmmm… I guess we better be going, before Inuyasha comes and gets us,", Kagome broke off as she glanced at Sango, who was still enjoying her conversation with Kirara, " Sango! Get over here and stop having a conversation I can't understand."  
  
Sango stopped talking to Kirara and made her way over to Kagome and Kagura.   
  
"What?"  
  
"The sun's rising, we should really be getting back.."  
  
"I guess your right…Kagura, I really appreciate all you've done for use.. Thanks… if you ever need anything, all you have to do is ask.. Unless of course it involves killing innocent people."  
  
"Your welcome.. Though doing nice things still feels strange.."  
  
"Bye Kagura.", Kagome waved as she went to board Kirara, "And as for you Kirara,you better not be saying bad things about me!" Kirara meowed.  
  
'Say bad things about you? Never..'  
  
Sango turned to glare at Kirara, "Be nice Kirara, Bye Kagura."  
  
Kagura watched as Sango hopped aboard Kirara. Mimicking what she had saw Kagome do, she waved at them both, "Bye… Sango… Kagome.."  
  
~*~  
  
Inuyasha was seriously getting tired of waiting, it was boring, it was annoying, and it involved not doing anything.   
  
"Runt, are you sure you don't smell any blood?"  
  
Shippo shook his head, "No Inuyasha.. You know, your nose works too."  
  
"Feh."  
  
Miroku was sulking in a corner, "I still can't believe you left this decision up to *Shippo*, what if they're dead Inuyasha? It's all Shippo's fault."  
  
Shippo stuck his tongue out at Miroku.   
  
"Shut up monk. Do you think I would have went with Shippo's decision if I though Kagome or Sango might be in danger?"  
  
Miroku sighed, "I guess not."  
  
"That's right, now stop whining."  
  
Miroku was seriously not having a good day. First he had gotten attacked by a strange bird demon. Then he had found out that his baby was probably going to die. Then Inuyasha had tried to kill him by putting him in a tree. And then he had woken up to someone kicking him. Oh yeah, and Sango had ran away to do kami knows what. No, this was definitely not his idea of a good day.  
  
Shippo became alert all of a sudden, he sniffed at the air.   
  
"What is it? What do you smell? Is it blood? Is Kagome alright?", Inuyasha began sniffing at the air, obviously in a panic.  
  
"No.. I don't smell anything.. I hear something.. It's… a crackling noise.. It's-"  
  
His sentence broke off as a beam of purple light shot through the wall and at Miroku.  
  
"coming closer.", Shippo finished his sentence, a little too late as it seemed.  
  
"ya think?", Inuyasha watched as the purple light enveloped Miroku and brought him into the air. It amazed him that Kaede was still asleep.  
  
Normally, he would have tried to defeat the evil purple stuff, however, this time, something stopped him, and he wasn't quite sure what. Intuition? Maybe. Just something that told him to stay put.  
  
"Do you think we should help him?", Shippo thought that *something* needed to be done, after all, Miroku was being suspended in the air my purple light, "Hey, it matches his robes.."  
  
"Nah, he's fine."  
  
"You sure?", Shippo's eyes traveled downwards as Miroku slammed into the floor.  
  
"Um.. I was.."  
  
Shippo gasped, "Inuyasha! Look at his head!"  
  
Inuyasha noticed that two forms were emerging from the top of Miroku's head. Two, floppy, brown dog ears. Not dog ears like his own, these were floppy, they went up and then the tips of them hung over, they were fuzzier too.   
  
Inuyasha sighed, so, this was what Sango had been going to do, "Shippo turn into a board."  
  
"Um... alright", Shippo preceded to turn into a wooden board, It really was best not to question him when he got that look in his eye.  
  
Inuyasha picked up the board, approached Miroku, and pounded him over the head with it really hard once.  
  
Inuyasha sat the board down. Shippo turned back.  
  
"Why did you do that?"  
  
"Because I'm not in the mood to hear anyone screaming about their ears being gone and ordering me to make the noises stop."  
When Kagome had screamed about it he had found it cute and amusing, but if Miroku did...  
  
Shippo didn't really understand what Inuyasha was talking about, but felt it best not to challenge him, "Oh."  
  
Inuyasha grabbed Miroku in a not at all gentle manner and tossed him out on the futon. He moved over to a corner and sat down, leaning up against the wall. "Go to sleep Shippo, Kagome will be back in the morning."  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
Inuyasha closed his eyes, "Because, Miroku has fluffy dog ears."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Shippo hopped atop Inuyasha's shoulder.  
  
Inuyasha opened one eye to look at him quizzically, but made no move to remove the kitsune.  
  
Shippo glanced over at Miroku and his fluffy dog ears. He laughed at him.  
Inuyasha opened his eyes to see what Shippo was laughing at.  
  
"Inuyasha. Miroku has fluffy dog ears!"  
  
Inuyasha of course already knew that, but now he was seeing the funniness in it. The monk had fluffy dog ears.  
  
He almost felt sorry for the poor guy, how degrading, of course, that didn't stop him from laughing as well,  
for, Miroku had fluffy dog ears.  
  
******************************************  
  
Okay. Guess what. That was 5023 words. I received 46 reviews for this chapter so I'd though I'd give you all a reward. You wouldn't believe how long that took to write (6 hours people!).  
  
Thanks for all the reviews! Espesialy the encouraging ones that said how great I was!  
  
I've made up a new rule, I write hoever much you review. For example, if I receive 10 reviews, I write 1000 words, if I receive 35 reviews, I write 3500 words, get it? Good.  
  
Sorensen: Alright, your on my good list again *smiles*. After going back and rereveiwing how good you not be? Thanks for taking the time, and you get to be a favorite again.  
  
Armargo scribe: Hush with you fancy way of thinking,… I get to make up my own rules for I am the great authoress heather! *little pink bunnies drag armargo scribe and all the little technicalities away*Hey! Pink bunnies! Bring that reviewer back! I need reviewers! My apologies..the pink bunnies lose control some times..  
  
Lady Night: Well, your always really encouraging and I really enjoy getting your reviews cuase they always make me feel better about my writing..I just thought I'd take this time to say thanks.  
  
Lord Agamus: Agh! It's tinky winky! Kill it! Kill it! I'll keep writing! Just kill the evil thing!  
  
Tsukinoko: erm..Inuyasha licking miroku's leg..that is very disturbing.. Thanks for pointing that out..I'm gonna have to revise that chapter pretty soon.. Of course..I still haven't gotten around to clarifying that it was NOT kirara who went to do stuff with Miroku..erm..yeah.. Oh, just to clarify everyone, in the last chapter Inuyasha KICKED mirokus leg..he did NOT lick him.  
  
Kaylana: Happy now? *Shoves imaginary Miroku with fluffy floppy curlly doggy ears at Kaylana*  
  
Vold: Well, I always have to acknowlege you since your such a faithful reviewer, So I thought I would, once again, tell you that I really appreciate it.   
  
~ Okay, heres the deal though, I'm not quite as in to this story as I used to, I've got other ideas in my head that want to get out. Don't worry, I'm not dropping this story..as long as you all keep reviewing, I'll keep writing for you guys. So please, by all means, feed the starving bunnies and review!~  
  
Oh, and I'd also like to advertise another story again, simply because I found it incredibly fantasticaly amusing… Its only got one chapter so far so it won't take long at all for you to read. It's Kaylana's (hey, I'm advertising you..how..strange..I told you I liked the story)   
  
It's called, 'one by one, the penguins stole their sanity'  
Go read it and give her some reviews.   
  
Anyway, I must be going now. If you were wandering what took me so long to update, I was suffering from writers block, but that's all better now. The next chapter should be out..in not Too long..but I've got two other active storys out that I need to update..remember that..  
  
That girl,  
Heather 


	38. Is This Your Idea of Irony?

Chapter? : Is this your idea of Irony?  
-  
~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
-  
Inuyasha's eyes drifted open as his nose caught a new scent on the wind. He hadn't really ever fallen asleep, how could he? He never had been one to just let things be. And here he was, just sitting here, doing nothing, attempting in vain to go to have the wanders of sleep take hold of him.  
*  
Shippo poked Inuyasha's cheek, "Inuyasha do you smell that?". The kitsune had been having just as much trouble with insomnia as Inuyasha.  
*  
The hanyou sniffed the air again, just to make sure he wasn't mistaken. "Yeah, it's Kagome alright."  
*  
Shippo hopped off of Inuyasha's shoulder, smiling brightly. He was quite relieved that Kagome wasn't dead, after all, if she was, it was all his fault. But there was still something about the scent he had picked up that puzzled him.   
*  
"Who's that with her?"  
*  
Inuyasha rolled his eyes, "That, is Kirara, and a very , very different from what we're used to, demon exterminator."  
*  
Shippo raised an eyebrow. Did Inuyasha mean Sango? Surely that couldn't be Sango. Cause, Sango, smelt like Sango, not like a demon. Therefore, it couldn't be Sango. See, it was perfect reasoning.  
*  
"Umm, Sango doesn't smell like a demon Inuyasha."  
*  
Inuyasha shook his head as if he were talking to the biggest idiot in the world, how he longed for the days when this conversation could just be ended by a simple fling into a wall. Knowing full well that his days of flinging Shippo were over, he pointed at the still unconscious monk.   
*  
"A few hours ago, Miroku didn't smell like one either."  
*  
Shippo nodded, understanding now. He then giggled again at Miroku's Fuzzy, fluffy, dog ears.   
*  
"Hey Inuyasha, Miroku still has fluffy dog ears."  
*  
"I can see that.", Inuyasha quickly turned his head, hiding the smirk on his face and choking back a laugh. He wasn't quite sure he would ever be able to look at the monk again without laughing.  
*  
He really wasn't quite sure how he felt about this, if he even felt anything at all. So, Sango and Miroku had became hanyou's like himself and Kagome. Big deal. They were still the same old pervert and demon exterminator. If anything, the only thing he felt about the change was relief, relief that Sango's baby would heal itself now, and relief that they now had a life span equivalent to his own. No.. the feeling wasn't relief exactly.. it was gratitude. Gratitude that the god's had bestowed him such fortune.. he really didn't deserve any of it.  
*  
"Inuyasha? How much longer do ya think it'll be till' they get back?"  
*  
The hanyou sniffed at the air, attempting to judge the distance. The girls were still a good ways away, apparently they were making no haste to return. More than likely Sango was dreading it, after all, as far as he knew, Miroku had had no knowledge of this whatsoever, the demon exterminator was probably just worried about how he would take it.   
*  
"They'll be back by morning."  
*  
Before Shippo could make any form of reply to that, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. Miroku was stirring. It wouldn't be much longer until he woke up. Judging by the fact that Inuyasha had used himself to knock him unconscious, that probably wasn't something to look forward to.  
*  
"Um.. Inuyasha, he's waking up."  
*  
Inuyasha leapt from the floor, landing on his feet. He grabbed Shippo by the tail hastily and ran out the flap of Kaede's hut.  
*  
"Hey! Stop it! Kagome's gonna be mad at you! She doesn't like it when you hold me like this! She'll sit you!"  
*  
Inuyasha stopped long enough to rearrange shippo so that the kitsune was now residing on his shoulder.  
Having arrived at a tree, he looked up it, trying to decide if it was big enough or not.  
*  
"Um.. what are you doing? Should we really be leaving him alone?"  
*  
Inuyasha sunk his claws into the tree, tearing it loose from the earth. It really was a very large tree.  
*  
Shippo closed his eyes, hoping to whatever was good and holy that Inuyasha didn't drop the tree he was carrying, thus squishing them both. The hanyou was used to being slammed into the ground, sometimes even with large heavy objects falling on top of him, Shippo however, had little experience in this area. Being flung into things was more his line of business, and he really wasn't wanting to try out anything new.  
*  
Inuyasha stumbled his way back to the entrance of Kaede's hut, occasionally loosing his footing and almost dropping the tree on top of his head. This experience completely terrified Shippo.  
*  
Now where he had wanted to be, Inuyasha dropped the tree, right beside the door of Kaede's hut, forming a barricade. If someone wanted in or out of that hut, they would have to either be a youkai, or pretty damn strong. Just in case Kaede had some secret strengths she had gotten from some herbs that she hadn't told them about, or Miroku learned to master his new strengths at a rate beyond the power of human and youkai alike, Inuyasha pushed the tree a good five foot into the ground. Just in case.  
*  
He took a step back, Shippo still gaping on his shoulder, to admire his um.. 'craftsmanship'. The tree that had previously been in a whole other yard, had found a brand new home right in Kaede's door step. A mound of dirt encircled it, having broken from the ground in the process of Inuyasha's rough transplanting.  
It was highly unlikely that the tree would survive this, not that that had been Inuyasha's intention. He certainly hadn't done it just because he had gotten into the gardening spirit.  
*  
Kaede's door was completely obstructed now, and some of the wood around the top of the door frame had been broken. A few stray limbs poked inside. The old miko was sure to regret not having had a second exit put into her hut, soon enough she would regret it more than anything in her life.  
*  
Inuyasha rubbed his hands against his shirt, wiping off the dirt, or, at least transferring it.  
*  
"Um.. why did you do that?"  
*  
Inuyasha walked away from the tree, heading in the direction of another one. "Do ya really won't to be there when he wakes up? Do ya really want him to be able to get out of there when he wakes up? I say we leave it up to the old hag."  
*  
Shippo nodded, as his mind filled with visions of Miroku screaming his head off, he'd probably start chanting again like he did earlier, too. That had just been scary. "Good idea. So where are we going now."  
*  
The hanyou leapt into a tree, climbing hastily to one of the top branches, letting his actions answer Shippo's questions.  
*  
~*~  
*  
Miroku groaned. For some reason, he had an immense pain on the back of his head. Actually, that immense pain was inside his head too. Part of this pain could probably be accounted for by the large bump on the top of his head he felt when he reached his hand up there. The other pain, could probably be accounted for by the fact that everything was so damn loud.  
*  
And why was everything so mind breakingly loud? So loud that, if he wasn't mistaken, he was actually.. whimpering?   
*  
Whimpering? Now there was something new. Of course, everything being so loud it hurt bad enough to whimper was something new in its self.  
*  
Of course, more than likely, the reason everything was so loud, was probably because of the two floppy, fuzzy, furry , curly, dog ears now adorning his head. These he also found in the course of feeling the top of his head to check for bumps.  
*  
Funny, he couldn't remember ever having floppy, fuzzy, furry, curly dog ears before.   
*  
Groaning again, he lifted his back up until he was sitting up. It seemed that he was on a futon. And for some reason that he could not begin to fathom anymore than why he had dog ears, there were tree limbs sticking into the door. Tree limbs, attached to a tree, which in turn was blocking his only exit. This tree was also accompanied by a large quantity of dirt.  
*  
He scratched his chin in what he thought to be a wise and thoughtful manner. After the first scratch, he realized that was far from being a good idea. For, to his knowledge, when you scratched your chin and blood began to ooze out of the newly acquired wounds there you had made yourself, that wasn't a good thing.  
*  
He brought his hand out in front of his face. Hmm.. how odd, he had claws. That certainly wasn't normal.  
*  
And what were those sharp things impaling his lips?   
*  
Tentatively, as if he were afraid of what he might find there, Miroku brought a single clawed finger up to his mouth, touching it to his teeth. He ran it over each one of them.  
*  
Normal.  
~  
Normal.  
~  
Normal.  
~  
DEFINITELY NOT NORMAL!  
~  
No, sharp, pointy fangs were definitely not his idea of normal.  
*  
Hmm.. So, he had floppy, fuzzy, furry, curly (not to mention horribly embarrassing) dog ears, claws, fangs and for some reason, he could distinctly smell the ink from when Sango had written the letter. Hadn't that been hours ago? And even then, right after it had happened, he hadn't smelt anything. And of course, there was the fact that he could actually see his clawed hands in front of his face, despite the fact that the candles had burned out long ago.  
*  
Come to think of it, just why had he been knocked out in the first place? What had he been doing again? What was the last thing he remembered?  
*  
Oh yes, he had been griping at Shippo and sulking. And then, out of nowhere, a bright beam of purple light shot out and enveloped him. It had been a strange light too, obviously, it had been some kind of energy. However, he had been unable to tell if it were evil, or pure. It had felt like it was neither. A neutral energy. But regardless of whatever the hell the purple thing was, it brought him up into the air, and then dropped him. Which really hurt his head by the way. Oh, and just as he had been recovering from the last blow to his head, something else had come down hard on it again. Yes, that was what had happened, and then he had blacked out.  
*  
Alright, so what did all of these facts lead him with? What conclusion could he draw? Of course, it was now blatantly obvious. Somehow, a weird purple light had turned him into a hanyou.  
*  
He smiled, quite proud of himself that he had actually been able to remain calm and reasonable in this situation, going over the facts until he came to a conclusion. The smile caused his fangs to bite into his lips.  
*  
His smile immediately disappeared as he proceeded to the next logical course of action.  
*  
Screaming his head off until *something* happened, surely that would make everything all better.  
*  
~*~  
*  
Kaede had been having a perfectly lovely dream about the herbs gathering around, dancing in song, and proclaiming her as their wonderful, talented, princess, when she heard it...  
*  
Someone screaming bloody murder.  
*  
Now Kaede was an old miko. And the elderly did enjoy their sleep. Especially old people like Kaede, for, it was only in her sleep that she could feel true happiness. In her sleep, her beloved herbs could talk and dance, could sing and love her! Her precious, beloved herbs could express their gratitude for her years of dedication to them, only in her dreams. And so, in her dreams, she felt at home amongst the herbs. The herbs that had arms, legs, eyes, and big smiles.   
*  
There were a few repercussions of these dreams of course, after a few of them, she had to think twice before grinding up her herbs. Was she murdering a friend? Was she hurting them? Would they be mad at her? But that problem had been solved when the herbs in her dreams had assured her that it was perfectly alright, in fact, they enjoyed it, because it tickled, and how they loved being tickled.  
*  
But that is beside the point, what matters here is this, Kaede enjoyed sleeping for her own very , very disturbingly strange reasons. Thus, she really did not like being awoken in the middle of the night. Nope, that really wasn't something she enjoyed.. and it had been such a delightful dream.  
*  
But now she had been rudely awaken by someone screaming like an idiot. Now who would be screaming at this hour? Then again, she did live in a village where the Shikon No Tama was still thought to be, there fore it was often attacked by demons, which, more often than not, killed at least one random villager… never anyone important however, because that would be inconvenient… So it really wasn't that strange that someone was screaming, but that didn't change the fact that it was annoying.  
*  
Muttering some words miko's really shouldn't say, Kaede groggily got out of bed and put on her miko attire. Never mind the fact that her haori was on backwards, however she managed to do that, at least she wasn't naked… kami only knew what that might lead to, actually, walking out naked, might just scare the youkai or whatever was making someone scream, away..   
*  
They probably wouldn't just run away either, their running would probably be accompanied by tortured screams of, 'My eyes! My eyes! How could such horror exist! My eyes! Oh my poor eyes!', and more than likely, the victim/intruder would pull out his eyeballs in a desperate attempt to rid themselves of the nasty mental images.  
*  
Kaede actually considered taking off her clothes and just trying that approach. It would be so much easier than just having Inuyasha battle it. However, she refrained from doing so, because there was a chance an angry mob might form, yelling at the demons but doing nothing in the way to stop them, as they usually did. And she really didn't want to be the cause of masses of people ripping out their eyeballs.  
*  
So, instead of taking off her clothes, she left them on as they were, her haori still on backwards, as she made her way into the main room.  
*  
Upon entrance to this room, the noise grew to a deafening roar. She clapped her hands over her ears to block out the sound.  
*  
The weird old miko glared at the futon, where the source of the scream resided.   
*  
This glare, was by far one of the scariest Miroku had ever received, it rivaled even Sango's 'You are such an unbelievable pervert that someday I will chop you up into little bity pieces and feed you to Kirara' glare of death. Upon receiving this glare, he immediately clamped his mouth shut, taking note of the fact that Kaede's haori was on backwards, well, at least she wasn't naked. He shuddered at the thought.  
*  
Her glare soon turned into a squint as she tried to make out the form in the dark. Whatever it was, at least it had stopped screaming.   
*  
"Who are you?"  
*  
Miroku faltered for a moment, apparently, he had forgotten his name. In actuality, he had just been so shocked that someone was here to talk to him, and that he no longer had to scream alone, he was speechless.  
*  
But soon, he regained the power of speech, as it was quite inevitable that he would.  
*  
"It's only me Kaede-sama, Miroku."  
*  
Kaede breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that she wouldn't have to use her nudity to scare away the intruder.  
It was then that she noticed something. There was a tree in her house. It was terribly dark inside, but enough moonlight streamed in to make the trees branches unmistakable.  
*  
"Why is there a tree in my house?"  
*  
Miroku shrugged his shoulders, but then, realizing she couldn't see him, he voiced his lack of an answer.   
*  
"I'm not sure, that's actually not my biggest concern right now. If you would be so kind as to light a candle?", Miroku tossed the elderly woman one of the lighter's Kagome had provided him with. Such nifty inventions they were, so very useful.  
*  
"Of course.", She fumbled with the switch on the lighter a few times before finally figuring it out and lighting a candle. She turned back around to face Miroku, curious as to what this problem was that he was having that she had to see. Surely it could be solved with the help of her dear friends, the herbs.  
*  
What she saw though, definitely could *not* be solved with herbs.  
*  
"Why! You're a.. a.."  
*  
Miroku finished her sentence for her, "A youkai?"  
*  
"How did this happen?"  
*  
"I have no idea."  
*  
"Where is Inuyasha?"  
*  
"I don't know that either."  
*  
"Do you know anything?"  
*  
"I know someone has a lot of explaining to do."  
*  
Kaede sighed, why was it that she always ended up befriending such strange people?  
*  
"Well, if you have no need for me, I am going to return to bed, and please, no more screaming."  
*  
Miroku nodded his head, and so, Kaede returned to her sleep, as well as her precious dreams of herbs.  
*  
~*~  
*  
Miroku let out another sigh. He had sighed a lot since Kaede had went to bed. He had lost count after thirty.   
*  
He wasn't quite sure how he felt about his.  
*  
No, that wasn't it, he would probably know how he felt about it if that were what he were thinking about, instead, he was trying to figure out just why it had happened.   
*  
Obviously, Inuyasha and Shippo knew what was going on. Otherwise, they would not be conveniently absent. There also wouldn't be a tree blocking the doorway.   
*  
This probably had something to do with Sango and that strange note she had left. Yes, that must be it. And that meant Kagome probably knew too. Why was it that he had to be the only one left out? He might could understand being left out if the matter didn't concern him. Then it wouldn't be any of his business. But it *did* concern him, in fact, judging by his currant appearance, it concerned him a *lot*!  
*  
What was it that Sango had said in the note? That she was going to fix things? Some way? Some how?  
*  
Was.. was this it?  
*  
Was this what she had meant?  
*  
He thought about that for a minute before finally figuring it all out.  
*  
Of course! That *was* it! Sango had gone out to become a youkai. If she were youkai, her body would heal the baby, and their child would survive. And of course, if she got herself turned into a youkai, then she would no doubt make him come along for the ride, whether he wanted to or not. So somehow, in order to save the life of their child, Sango had got them turned into hanyou's.  
*  
Now, he wasn't sure how she had planned to do that, but apparently she had succeeded.  
*  
Now for the other question. How did he feel about this? Being a demon? If.. if it was for the life of their child.. then it was definitely worth it.. yes.. he would have done anything to save it.  
*  
For the first time he realized what he was saying. His child was alive! His baby was going to live! All thoughts and worries immediately vanished from his mind with that revelation. His baby was alive, and that, that was all that really mattered.  
*  
He laid back down on the futon, his new found ears twitching with the occasional sounds. A smile resided on his face. His baby was alive… how.. wonderful.  
*  
He just lay there a while, taking in all the new things he could hear and smell with his enhanced senses.  
It was amazing.   
*  
He could hear Kaede's breathing in the next room. He could hear the limbs of trees crunching, more than likely the result of Inuyasha readjusting his weight in one of them outside.  
*  
His nose was overwhelmed by the pungent odor of herbs. Kaede really did have too many of them.. sometimes he wandered about her.. she was really strange.  
*  
A whisper of another scent broke through the herb scent. Now this was a scent that he had grown to love, even as a human he could recognize this scent. He had memorized it long ago, just in case the scent might one day leave him forever, he had wanted to keep this scent in mind always.. just in case things hadn't turned out the way they actually did.  
*  
It was pleasing to his nose that the smell had been intensified dramatically with his stronger nose.  
*  
It was really a wonderful scent. The smell of 'raspberry shampoo' brought from Kagome's time, intermixed with the unmistakable scent of a forest right after a spring rain, and then that crispness too it, that crispness that was akin to a windy day in autumn. Yes, that was how he thought of the scent. The analogies he had made just to remember it. Sango.   
*  
She was coming back. The scent was still faint though, so, more than likely, she was still a ways off.  
*  
He smiled as he noticed another smell with Sango's usual one, this smell one that he had been unable to detect with his human nose. This scent was not so easily explained.. it almost smelt like Sango.. but.. newer.. his child. It was the scent of his child.  
*  
Sango would soon return, by morning at the latest, and with her would be his little child growing inside her.  
*  
Yes, the sacrifice of becoming a hanyou.. it was definitely worth it.  
*  
For this, anything would be worth it.  
*  
~*~  
*  
"Why don't you slow down a little more Kirara? We really aren't in any hurry at all!", Sango laughed nervously. She really was terrified of what Miroku was going to say.  
*  
"Would you rather me just not walk at all? Then we can live happily ever after in this spot right there.", Kirara meowed, observing their currant surroundings, which was pretty much just a cold, dank, nasty part the forest.  
*  
Sango frowned, there were definitely going to be some disadvantages of Kirara talking. "Oh shut up."  
*  
"But I didn't say anything.", Kagome maintained innocently, genuinely perplexed.  
*  
"Oh not you, Kirara."  
*  
"Oh.", Kagome debated on whether or not it was nosy to inquire as to what Kirara had said. Oh to hell with it, Sango had drug her off unwillingly to go meet up with one of their enemies. Politeness was no longer an issue, "What'd she say?"  
*  
"You don't want to know."  
*  
"Your right, she probably doesn't."  
*  
Sango switched over to cat language, so as not to confuse Kagome anymore, "You know, it feels like I'm hearing voices in my head. Your causing me to question my sanity."  
*  
"I've had to talk to a kitsune pup for about a year now. Do you really have any room to complain?"  
*  
Sango shuddered at the idea of being left in a room alone with Shippo for even an hour. Kami, that would just be horrifying. How could anyone still be sane after enduring so much of it.  
*  
"Alright, you win."  
*  
Kagome grinned happily, "I smell Inuyasha, that means we're almost home."  
*  
Sango didn't welcome this news with as much gratitude as Kagome. "Damnit. Already?"  
*  
"Remember, I could just stop walking If you want."  
*  
"Shut up!"  
*  
"Erm.. Sango? Are you talking to Kirara again?"  
*  
"Oh, yes, sorry about that Kagome."  
*  
"It's alright it's just confusing. Are you really *that* worried about what Miroku will think?"  
*  
Sango hung her head slightly lower, "y..yes.. It's just that.. what if he's mad? What if he gets really mad? And he disowns the baby or something?"  
*  
"Sango, do you really think Miroku would really do that? Can you honestly say that you think he would ever do anything like that? Miroku may be a pervert Sango, and maybe even a thief, but certainly not a bad person. Despite what he feels about becoming youkai, he loves you Sango, and he loves your child. I think that is all that will matter."  
*  
Sango brightened up a bit, hit by a wave of courage, "You.. you think so? Really?"  
*  
"Of course."  
*  
"Kirara.. I guess you can go a little faster then.."  
*  
"You mean I can walk again?"  
*  
"Shut up."  
*  
~*~  
*  
The scent came strong, all at once with a shift of the wind. It immediately awoke both Inuyasha and Shippo.  
*  
"She's almost here.", Shippo stated, as if it weren't the obvious.  
*  
"Ya think?", Inuyasha could already see Kagome coming up the path, atop Kirara.  
*  
The sun had just began to rise, making their forms clearly visible even to the *human* eye.  
*  
He leapt down from his branch to go meet them, toting Shippo with him.  
*  
~*~  
*  
Kagome sighed as she watched Inuyasha approach them. He was going to be so mad at her. This was going miserable. She hopped off of Kirara.  
*  
"Sango, why don't you go find Miroku, I'll explain things to Inuyasha so he doesn't disturb you."  
*  
Sango nodded, jumping off Kirara as well and making her way to the hut. Kirara transformed into a little kitty and attempted to follow her.  
*  
"Oh no , no , no! *You* stay here! I don't need Miroku to think I've taken up talking to myself!"  
*  
"Oh come on, it's *Miroku*."  
*  
"Go play with Shippo."  
*  
"Hey!"  
*  
Sango ignored her, leaving to find Miroku.  
*  
~*~  
*  
"Inuyasha.. I'm sorry for.."  
*  
Before Kagome could finish, Inuyasha pulled her into a hug. However, just as soon as it had began, he grabbed hold of her shoulders and pushed her away.  
*  
"You worried me. Don't leave without telling me again. Never. I don't like being worried. Besides, it's hard to put up with Shippo without you here."  
*  
Kagome stood there a minute longer, awaiting the rest of the lecture that was sure to come.  
When nothing happened, she assumed that Inuyasha had forgot what he was doing.  
*  
"Well..?"  
~  
"Well what?"  
~  
"That's not it is it?"  
~  
"It? What the fuck are you babbling about?"  
~  
"You mean.. that really is all you were going to say?"  
~  
"Yeah. What else would I say?"  
~  
"Well.. its just.. usually..", Instead of finishing her sentence, she decided it was best to just leave it at that. " I missed you."  
*  
She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him, not giving him time to ruin the moment with one of his rude responses.  
*  
This probably would have proven to be a rather nice kiss if it weren't for a certain Kitsune.  
*  
"Oh jeez, you aren't gonna do the adult thing again are you?"  
*  
Kagome immediately broke apart from Inuyasha, "Shippo-Chan! Was Inuyasha nice to you while I was gone?"  
*  
Shippo glanced at the male hanyou seemingly trying to control the urge to fling a certain kitsune into something. "Yep, Inuyasha was nice."  
*  
"He.. he was?"  
*  
"Yep!"  
*  
"Oh."  
*  
"Kagome?", Sango had reappeared, a look of sheer puzzlement residing on her face, "There's a tree in my way."  
*  
"Um.. can't you just walk around it?"  
*  
"No. There is a tree, in the doorway."  
*  
"Inuyasha??!"  
*  
A flash of recognition came over Inuyasha, as if he had just remembered something, "Oh yeah, I blocked the door so he couldn't escape."  
*  
"Escape?!!"  
*  
"Yeah, I locked him in there with Kaede.", he crossed his arms over his chest in a defensive posture at the glares he was receiving from both the girls. For once, Shippo stayed on his side, looking just as defensive as Inuyasha.   
*  
And, low and behold, Shippo actually argued against Kagome! "What?! You would have too! You should have heard him screaming!"  
*  
Inuyasha was at first taken aback that Shippo had actually sided with him, but that certainly didn't stop him from taking advantage of his new comrade, "Yeah!"  
*  
Sango glanced around nervously, "Screaming?"  
*  
"Yeah, he screamed for like ten minutes before the old hag shut him up."  
*  
"Inuyasha!", Kagome scolded.  
*  
"What? He did."  
*  
Kagome threw her hands up in the air, giving up, "Could you just remove the tree Inuyasha?"  
*  
"Feh. Whatever."  
*  
"Hey! Did you notice Sango's new look?"  
*  
Shippo cut in with a giggle, "Just wait till' ya see Miroku."  
*  
And so, Inuyasha went to retrieve the tree, and replant it yet again, or maybe just toss it over his shoulder. Whichever was easiest.  
*  
~*~  
*  
Sango heaved a sigh, hoping it would release some of her anxiety. It didn't.  
*  
Inuyasha had just removed the tree, and here she stood, faltering, unsure of what to do.  
Finally, she gave in to the logical side of her mind and entered the hut.  
*  
"Miroku?"  
*  
"Sango, I have one thing to ask you.", he glanced at her cat ears, and then to her demon exterminator suit. "Is this your idea of irony?"  
*  
Sango looked to where his voice was coming from, over on the futon. What she saw, automatically caused her to laugh hysterically.  
*  
She collapsed to the ground, still unable to control her laughter.  
*  
Miroku just stood there, remaining as calm as ever. "Are you done yet?"  
*  
She looked up, about to say 'yes', but stopped short as another bout of giggles hit her.  
*  
"you.."   
~  
giggle  
~  
"Have.."  
~  
giggle  
~  
"Fluffy.."  
~  
giggle  
~  
"Dog ears!"  
*  
Miroku sighed, "I am very aware of that. Can you stop laughing now?"  
*  
Sango tried her best to stop laughing. After all, this probably wasn't the best way to apologize for running off and turning him into a hanyou. Her laughter immediately vanished at the idea of him being mad at her.  
*  
"I'm.. sorry.."  
*  
Miroku gave up trying to act mad. It just wasn't worth that frown on her face. And as hard as he tried, it was almost impossible not to smile. Of course.. he really wasn't to happy about having fluffy dog ears. That really was very degrading.. but.. if it was for their baby..  
*  
"I'm not mad Sango.. really. What matters is that the baby is okay… that's all that matters.."  
*  
Sango went over and hugged Miroku, "Thank you so much for understanding Miroku, I was so afraid you would be mad.."  
*  
"You've got a tail."  
*  
"I can talk to Kirara too, though that isn't exactly a pleasantry."  
*  
"What?"  
*  
"Why don't I just start from the beginning?"  
*  
"Sounds like a good idea to me."  
*  
~*~  
*  
Kagome, Inuyasha, Shippo, and Kirara, all sat up in a tree.  
*  
"Inuyasha? What's Sango's child gonna be? A cat hanyou? Or a dog hanyou?"  
*  
Inuyasha considered this for a moment. "It won't be a hanyou, it'll only be quarter demon."  
*  
"What? Why?"  
*  
"Because, Sango and the monk mated back when they were still human. The pup's growing in Sango, and she's a cat youkai, so it will grow as a cat hanyou's pup with a human father. So it'll be a cat quarter youkai."  
*  
Kagome nodded, not at all understanding. "Oh."  
*  
"Hey Kagome! Kirara says Sango cat talk to her now! Is that true? Or is Kirara lying.. again?"  
*  
Kagome glanced up at the kitsune sitting with Kirara a few branches above her.  
*  
"Yeah. She can…", she turned back to Inuyasha, "Inuyasha.. I was wandering.. now that Sango is going to have a .. pup, wouldn't that mean she now needs a home for it? What about us?"  
*  
"I told you Kagome, we don't need a home unless your fucking pregnant!", he sniffed her, once again, over dramatically, "Whatda'ya know, your still not pregnant."  
*  
She pushed his nose away, "I *know* that. But.. remember.. you said.. that.. pregnancy usually takes on the second heat.. that's not too very long away Inuyasha… do you.. do you want me pregnant? Are you ready for that?"  
*  
"Eh.. erm.. um.. feh."  
*  
"Oh, nice answer Inuyasha.", Shippo called from above.  
*  
He shook a fist at the kitsune, "Shut up ya little runt!"  
*  
Kagome clasped hold of his shaking fist and brought it back down, "You can't do that with our pups Inuyasha, whether they're adopted or not… I really would appreciate an answer Inuyasha, clearly, its not *only* up to you. Actually, it's my decision. I just want your input."  
*  
"Your decision?! They're *my* pups too!"  
*  
"Inuyasha, look down there, that's a long way to fall isn't it…?"  
*  
Inuyasha glanced down and got the point.   
*  
"So.. what do you think?"  
*  
Inuyasha thought about this. Pups? Was he really ready for that? Of course, if he could handle Shippo, he could handle anything.. and the thought of his pups, his and Kagome's pups, running around.. he liked it.. and.. if Kagome did take this time, then her pup would be born about the same time as Sango's, that way it'd have a friend. Though.. just what Sango and Miroku's pup would be like.. the possibilities were frightening. But still..   
*  
"Alright Kagome, it's up to you. I'd be perfectly okay with it. Whatever you decide."  
*  
Kagome smiled, Inuyasha was actually being reasonable! Of course, she had had to threaten him with a 'sit', but hey! It was better than nothing.  
*  
"Alright then, If I do decide to have a pup this time, where are we gonna live Inuyasha? My pup is *not* going to be homeless!"  
*  
Inuyasha went over various places they could live. Kagome probably wouldn't take to well to living In a tree, so he ruled that out. And more than likely, Kagome wouldn't consider a small clearing in the middle of the forest to be a home. But then.. there was his cave.. maybe.. if they, fixed it up nice? Kagome could bring some of that shit from her time, all the shit she wanted in fact, whatever made her happy. Would that do? And hell, it was a big cave, Kagome had only saw the main chamber, but there were plenty of passageways, and at least five rooms that he knew of, If Kagome wanted, the lech and his family could even live with them.  
*  
"What about the cave, there's enough room even for Sango and Miroku to live there too."  
*  
"The cave?", Kagome looked at him dubiously, "But.. it's a cave."  
*  
"Yeah, but ya' could fix it up all nice and shit. Fill it up with some of that weird stuff from your old time, then maybe you'd feel more comfortable."  
*  
Visions of a luxurious cave, filled with modern conveniences (battery powered of course), nice furniture, painted walls, beautiful patterned rugs, and a never ending stock of ramen took over her mind. Maybe Inuyasha was right. The cave *was* a perfect place!  
*  
"Alright then! We start fixing it up tomorrow!"  
*  
"What?! Tomorrow?! Your not even pregnant! Hell, ya don't even know if you wanna be pregnant or not!"  
*  
"Yeah, but Sango is, and you said it yourself, she could live there too!"  
*  
"Damnit! You tricked me!"  
*  
"Inuyasha!"  
*  
"Fine, whatever, we'll start work on it tomorrow."  
*  
"Then that means we are going back to visit my family too! Maybe we can even bring Sango and Miroku."  
*  
"Don't count on it, they probably still got fucking forest fires to look after."  
*  
"Oh Inuyasha!? Can't you *ever* be optimistic?"  
Now Inuyasha wasn't quite sure what that word meant. But if Kagome was saying that he wasn't it, then it was probably a good thing to be that he was lacking in. As he always did in such situations, he responded with a word he had grown to love, for it could almost be used for anything.  
*  
"Feh"   
*  
*************A/N*****************  
Alright, first of all THANK YOU SOOOOOO MUCH FOR ALL THE REVIEWS!!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!  
  
At the time I started this, I had 60 reviews for the last chapter, which is why this has 6,000 words, which is really NOT fun to write. believe me guys, that's a LOT!  
  
Vold: I'll have you know that you accounted for about 600 of those words, thanks (yet again) for reviewing!  
  
Teardrop crystal: I read every single one of my reviews, because I have an unhealthy obsession with them. So anyway, thanks SSOOOOOOOOOO much for reading/reviewing, and, just for that, I'll advertise the story.  
  
Okay, and, here is a word of explanation for those of you who wandered what's up with my chapters now. Well, I used to have a whole page dedicated to my disclaimer, but recently, I took it out, which made me back one chapter than I used to be.  
  
Alright, Teardrop crystal thinks you should read, A Thin Line by MoonBunny #1255256.  
I didn't read it, since AU and I don't like AU, so you'll just have to take her word for it.  
  
Thanks you guys, especially for all of you who've stuck with me. It means a lot to me.  
  
Alright 10 reviews=1000 words and so on, so REVIEW!!   
  
Sorry for posting this so late, mainly it was just because I got into a new anime and have been busy downloading/watching the episodes. Fruits Basket! VERY good anime, once you get past the first few episodes, very funny too.. although.. *some* peope *points at Kaylana* think its disgusting.  
  
The main character *is* an idiot…  
  
But anyways, r&r!  
-Heather- 


	39. Ya' Wanna' Live In A Cave?

Chapter?: Wanna live in a cave?  
~  
******************************************************************************************  
~  
Kagome yawned noisilly, opening her eyes to greet the bright new morning. Or rather, the dark, gloomy morning, in fact , it looked like it might rain or storm, but she was an optimist.  
~  
Once again, she had spent her night sleeping in a tree, not that she really minded.  
~  
She was yet to see Miroku's new appearance, Sango hadn't returned from the hut since first entering. Kaede had left it shortly after Sango first went in, claiming that Sango and Miroku  
were having trouble finding her yukata again, and that she was going to go visit a sick villager.   
~  
And so she and Inuyasha had spent the better part of yesterday going over exactly what happened with Kagura, and examining the cave, making sure it was fit to live in and such. She   
had been amazed to find how large it was. In all, it had ten seperate chambers, each one with smooth rock cielings no less than ten feet high.   
~  
There was one room she was particularly fond of, it was one of the last branches of the cave, and, if one didn't know it existed beforehand, they probably would have missed it all together.  
Simply because the only entrance to it was by going through a small tunnel like crevice, just big enough for a skinny human (or hanyou) to fit through. Its hidden entranced was not near it's  
most amazing feature however. What made her instantly fall in love with it was not the passageway , but the chamber itself.  
~  
Every single square inch of it's walls were composed of pink quartz. Not only that, but in the ceiling was a small hole, no bigger than a basketball, but large enough so that it allowed plenty   
of sun to shine through. And the sun reflected on the pink walls, luminating them so that it gave the appearance that they were almost glowing. It was so incredibly beautiful. The reason for  
the hole only caused her to love the room even more, for, the hole was there so that water from a hot spring from above could trickle down into it. And when the water dropped down, it met  
with a medium sized pool of water, no more than 4 feet deep. She was delighted to find that she could fit into the pool perfectly, not to mention that the water inside the pool was just as hot   
as the water that fell into it. Inuyasha said that not only did water from a hotspring above fall into it, but there was also one on the same level as the cave that added to it directly, thus making  
the water hot.  
~  
The room was beautiful. The room had the next best thing to indoor plumbing. The room was hers.  
~  
"Inuyasha?", she pulled gently on her mate's sensitive ear, hoping to wake him up.   
~  
However, this only caused him to tighten his hold on her and growl possessively.  
~  
"Inuyasha?"  
~  
"....grrrrr...."  
~  
Kagome smiled mischievously, right before waking up not only Inuyasha, but the whole neighborhood as well.  
~  
"AHHHHHHG! INUYASHA! OH NO! BIG MEAN MEN HAVE CAME TO KIDNAP ME! AND I CAN'T POSSIBLY DEFEND MYSELF, AS I AM BUT A YOUNG INNOCENT DAMSEL IN DISTRESS! OH NO WHATEVER   
SHALL I DO? *Gasp* WHAT IF THEY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF MY YOUNG RIPE BODY?", She slapped her hand to her forehead in a classic 'whatever shall I do' motion, to add to the already exaggerated   
over dramatic-ness.  
~  
Inuyasha groggily raised an eyebrow, "Oi Kagome, what are you yappin about?"  
~  
A few heads peaked their way out of some huts, wandering who the hell was yelling. Realizing that it was just some crazy girl in a tree, they only shook there heads disdainfully and returned to   
whatever they were doing.  
~  
Kagome blushed, maybe that hadn't been the best approach. "I was just trying to wake you up."  
~  
"Well, I'm awake, what'da'ya want?"  
~  
"We have to go back to my family's time today! Remember?"  
~  
"This early..?"  
~  
Kagome glanced up at the sky where storm heads we're already beginning to form. The sun had just barely risen. It *was* pretty early.  
~  
"Yes! This early! I miss my family!"  
~  
Inuyasha sighed, knowing full well there was no use arguing with her after she got that look in her eye. "Alright, we bringing Shippo?"  
~  
Her eyes lowered to her own lap, where the young kitsune slept peacefully, curled up beside Kirara. "Of course we are. And Sango and Miroku too!"  
~  
"Feh, I think their a little busy right now."  
~  
"Busy..?, She cocked an eyebrow before realization took over. "Oh. Busy. Right...."  
~  
Now the young miko looked crestfallen. She really had been wanting her friends to come see her family again, so that they could meet them without such confusion   
and chaos going on. It was important to her that she hung on to her family, that they still stayed a part of her life. It wouldn't be right if they didn't. And it only seemed   
right that her friends could meet her family, just like she would meet her friends family, if they had one. She'd met Sesshoumaru hadn't she?! She'd even tolerated Myouga..   
granted if you could even call Myouga part of Inuyasha's family.   
~  
Seeing Kagome's look of pure despair, Inuyasha quickly amended his previous sentence. "But, I'm sure they'll take a break from what their doing to see your family... feh.."  
~  
Kagome looked hopeful, "Really?"  
~  
"Yeah really."  
~  
"Okay! Let's go get them!"  
~  
".....feh"  
~  
~*~  
~  
"BWUAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA", Kagome collapsed to the floor, no longer able to control her immense laughter. "AHAHAHHAHAHHA AHHAHA"  
~  
Miroku stood in the doorway, absolutely emotionless with Sango at his side... Sango who had covered her own mouth in order to not let any giggles escape.  
~  
Kagome wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes and tried to let her insane laughter subside. She finally managed to bring it down to a few occasional giggles and decided it   
was okay to look at Miroku again. She tore her gaze from the ground, only to begin laughing hysterically again.  
~  
Shippo had jumped down from Inuyasha's shoulder to examine Kagome. He poked her back experimentally, wandering if he might get some response other than laughter.  
She had been laughing for at least ten minutes now and he was beginning to think that she was somehow broken. "Kagome...?"  
~  
"BWUAHAHHAHAH~Miroku~haha~Dog~BWUAHA~EARS~BWUWAHAHA~FLUFFY~AHAHAHAH~DOGEARS~AHAHAH~SANGOSACATAND~BWUAHAHAHAHA~MIROKUSA~AHAHAHAH~DOG~BUWHAHAHW~  
HOW~BWUWHAHAH~FITTING~BWUWHAHAHA"  
~  
Shippo stopped prodding at Kagome and turned his face to Inuyasha, completely perplexed. After all, sure, Miroku's dog ears *were* funny.. but.. *that* funny?   
~  
"Inuyasha? Fix her."   
~  
As much as Inuyasha would have *liked* to have um 'Fixed her', he was doing his best to just not *join* her. He couldn't help it. Miroku had fluffy dog ears, and here in the bright day light,   
it was even more hilarious than it had been in the dark of night. He was actually afraid that if he opened his mouth, insane uncontrollable laughter might come out, and that certainly wouldn't  
be very good for his image.. not that he really had one, what was left of his image had disappeared the minute Kagome adopted the kitsune.  
~  
However, Shippo only continued to look at him with big confused eyes, so he really had to say something. " Um *choked laugh*... Kagome *chocked laugh* ..stop."  
~  
Kagome twisted her neck to look at Inuyasha, face contorted as she tried her best to contain herself just long enough to get out one sentence.  
~  
"He has Cocker Spaniel ears! Big, fluffy, curly, cocker spaniel ears!", She proceeded to collapse back to the ground in a fit of laughter.  
~  
With that sentence, Miroku's blank face gained just a smidge of curiosity. "Co-cker-Span-iel?"  
~  
Kagome stood from the ground, leaning on Inuyasha for support. Miroku had asked her a question, and she needed to do the respectable thing and answer him.   
Of course, it wasn't that easy to respect some one with fluffy dog ears.   
~  
Inuyasha finally grew tired of this and decided it was time to do something before she got him laughing to.   
~  
"Kagome *stop* laughing! Think about.. think about UNPLEASANT stuff! Um...", he racked his brain for a suitable thing to make her stop laughing, "Jaken, think about that weird Frog thing that used to   
follow Sesshy around. Wasn't he disgusting ?"  
~  
Alas, the mention of the name 'Sesshy' only got her to laughing more.  
~  
Miroku decided to help out, anything to get her to stop laughing at him. Remembering something from the other day, back when Kaede had came out with her haori on backwards, he was struck with an   
idea.  
~  
"Think about Kaede. Kaede naked..eww..", He shuddered involuntarily.  
~  
Kagome made a disgusted face, and stared at Miroku as if to say 'what have *you* been up to lately', but didn't stop laughing.  
~  
The previously silent Sango knew exactly what she could say to make Kagome stop laughing. She knew Kagome, very well, after all, before Kagome had became Inuyasha's mate,   
she had been her most trusted confidant. And there was one thing that would most absolutely positively make her stop laughing. The only problem with it was she wasn't quite sure   
the reaction to it would be any better than the laughter.   
~  
"Um.. Kagome?", Sango started, eyes to the ground nervously, "Think about... Kikyou."  
~  
And at once the laughter ceased, and was replaced by...  
~  
Growling.  
~  
Now this was the first time anyone other that Inuyasha and Kagura had heard Kagome growl.. it was actually quite disturbing coming from the usually kind hearted girl.  
~  
"Did you just *growl*?", came the simultaneous reactions of both Miroku and Sango.  
~  
Kagome automatically got defensive, after all, growling and Kikyou was still a touchy subject.   
~  
She pointed at Miroku. "Do *you* have fluffy dog ears?"  
~  
Her finger moved to Sango. "Do *you* talk to Kirara?"  
~  
The aforementioned Kirara (who had been standing quietly beside Inuyasha) meowed out something that only Shippo and Sango could hear.  
~  
"Kirara! Don't say that kind of thing in front of *Shippo*!" And, judging by Sango's reaction, it wasn't something nice.  
~  
"A cocker spaniel is a dog native to North America. It has big floppy ears, that have curly fur on them. And, their usually brown like yours.", Kagome explained, remembering Miroku's earlier inquiry.  
~  
"Why do I have to have *these* ears? Why couldn't I have got the same kind as Inuyasha?". Miroku's expression had now switched from curious to 'woe is me'.  
~  
Inuyasha smirked, "Monk, your the single most un-terrifying youkai ever. Instead of children running in fear, their gonna run up to you and scream ," Inuyasha took this time to switch his voice   
over to high pitched a squeaky girl-like, "Kaaaaaaaaaaaawaiiiiiii!"  
~  
"Well, um.. at least your hair stayed the same..", Kagome offered, feeling bad about her earlier laughing, "Just think of how awful you would have looked with white hair."  
~  
Sango studied Miroku's still-brown hair. Very ,very apprehensively, she reached over and undid his pony tail-type-thing. She had always wandered what he would look like with his hair down..  
~  
With the band removed, Miroku's hair just barely grazed his shoulders. To Sango, it looked really nice.  
~  
"Hey, Sango? Why did you do that?"  
~  
Sango quickly thought up a reply other than 'Well, I was just curious', "um.. Your dog ears don't look quite as bad with it down.". Yes, much better than the truth, actually, it was kind   
of true, it did make his dog ears less noticeable.  
~  
Judging by the intent and loving way Sango was now looking at Miroku, Kagome decided she had better say something about going to her time quick, before another game of 'find the yukata' began.  
~  
"Say, Miroku, Sango, where are you planning to live? Now that you've got a baby on the way?" This was all part of Kagome's (supposed) genius plan. Bribe them to go see her family with a home.  
~  
Sango stopped staring at Miroku as the realization hit her that she was homeless. "er.. em..."  
~  
Miroku stared, wide eyed, uh oh, this was sure to cause another bout of 'my child's gonna be a bastard'.  
~  
Sure enough, Sango started crying about her child being a homeless.  
~  
Speaking, or rather thinking , of the 'my child's gonna be a bastard' incident , Miroku remembered that they never did get married. Thank Kami Sango seemed to forget.. seeing as how now there was  
no chance of them being wed. The law just didn't permit such things, youkai were youkai, not human, so they couldn't partake in human ways. It was just the way things were done.   
~  
"Oh, stop crying Sango-chan, Inuyasha has something he wants to tell you! Don't you Inuyasha?", Kagome shoved him in the side with her elbow meaningfully.  
~  
"Huh? Oh. Right. Ya can come live with us in a cave."  
~  
Oh, nice Inuyasha. You really made it sound glamorous and wonderful.   
~  
Kagome glared at her mate. "What he means, is , Inuyasha has his own cozy cave. It has ten spacious rooms, each one with smooth ceilings and walls, and at a nice cool temperature. It's a lovely place to raise your family, plenty of room for your kids to play around in, and it's free. Plus, it has a built in hot spring! And think of how convenient it would be to share the same home?"  
~  
'Kami. I sound like a real estate agent.'  
~  
Miroku would definitely have to thank Kagome later for this.   
~  
Sango stopped crying, pure joy dancing in her eyes. "You mean it Kagome?! Really?! Oh Kagome!", the demon exterminator ran up and glomped onto her friend.  
~  
"Hold up a minute. There's a catch. ", Inuyasha pointed out, attempting to pry Sango off of his mate, with no real progress. "You have to come visit Kagome's family with her whenever she wants ya too."  
~  
"What? Oh sure! Anything!"  
~  
Miroku was about to interject with something about the forest fires, but common sense stopped him. He could endure a day or two with Kagome's family. Surely. "..alright.."  
~  
Inuyasha snickered. "Kagome's mom is just going to *love* your ears..."  
~  
"What..?"  
~  
"Oh.. nothing."  
~  
"When is she visiting her next..?"  
~  
Kagome broke away from Sango and smiled brightly, "Right Now!".   
~  
And then she was skipping off to the well.  
~  
The rest of the group save Kirara shrugged and followed her.. not skipping.  
~  
Kirara stood there a minute, wondering not if she was supposed to go too, no, she knew the skipping girl would want her to go as well, but wandering instead what exactly Kagome was on.  
~  
~*~  
~   
"WAIT!" Kagome came to a halt right beside Inuyasha's tree. "Miroku!?  
~  
This sudden stop resulted in Sango crashing into Miroku.  
~  
Miroku made sure Sango was alright before seeing what Kagome wanted, "yes?"  
~  
"Do you still have your prayer beads? And how much money do you have?"  
~  
Miroku removed the prayer beads that he had previously worn around his cursed hand from his neck and handed them and his bag of coins to Kagome.  
~  
Inuyasha was more than happy to contribute to this collection, He began pointing enthusiastically at the ones around his neck. "Here Kagome! You can have mine! Really! I don' t mind!"  
~  
Kagome gave him a rather dry look, as if to say 'do you really think I'm that stupid?'.  
  
~  
Inuyasha sighed, it was worth a try.  
~  
"Alright, does anyone else have anything they don't mind getting rid of that they can give me?", she blatantly ignored Inuyasha's hand waving vigorously in the air. "Sango?"  
~  
Sango wasn't quite sure why she was doing this, but if it were Kagome's idea, it was more than likely a worthy cause. She undid her katana from her sash and handed it over to Kagome.  
~  
"I don't ever use it anyway. Besides, if I really want one I can get a new one easily."  
~  
"Alright, anyone else?"  
~  
Inuyasha continued to wave his hand in the air.  
~  
Shippo reached into his pocket and withdrew one of his magic tops. Kagome excepted it readily, though she wasn't quite sure how well magic tops would go over in the future.  
~  
"Alright, so are you sure none of you mind getting rid of this stuff?"  
~  
Miroku nodded his head, "Those prayer beads only bring back bad memories,", now gaining a smile that made everyone uneasy, he added to his sentence, "And I can always find a way to make money.."  
~  
Sango bonked him on the head with her boomerang, not quite as hard as she used to, but hard enough for him to get the point. Maybe he wasn't talking about girls, but thievery wasn't a good thing either.  
~  
"Like I said, I don't need the katana."  
~  
Shippo hopped onto Kagome's shoulder, "I have an endless supply!"  
~  
Kagome sweat dropped, Shippo and his kitsune magic had always been something that confused her, "um.. right.."  
~  
Inuyasha gave up waving his hand and let it drop to his side, "What are ya gonna do with them?"  
~  
"Simple! Burry them!"  
~  
*******************************************~S~E~S~S~H~Y~M~A~R~U*******************************************************************************************  
~  
"Sesshy?"  
~  
Sesshoumaru stopped abruptly. He had gotten used to Rin calling him that, so normally that wouldn't be enough to make him stop. But it hadn't been Rin who said it, unless of  
course Rin had magically aged at least ten years and gained a new voice.  
~  
Sesshoumaru's usually placid face took on a tone of absolute horror. "R..Rin.. Please.. say that was you."  
~  
The girl atop his shoulders only shook her head energetically, "Nope! Not Rin!"  
~  
"Oh... no."  
~  
He slowly turned around. He knew full well who he would find there, grinning cockily. At this point, he wished it was Inuyasha's bitch, or the exterminator, come to torment him. No such luck.  
~  
"K...Kagura."  
~  
Kagura stepped gracefully off of her feather, smiling as if she had the complete upper hand against Sesshy. Actually, had she not wasted so much power turning Sango and the monk hanyou, she probably   
would have *really* been at the advantage.   
~  
"Lost for words, are we Seshy?"  
~  
"Wind Lady!!!!", Rin cried out enthusiastically for no apparent reason other than the fact that wind lady was in front of her.  
~  
"How strange Sesshy, that she would give me, some one she doesn't even know, a much, much less degrading name that she gave you.  
~  
Sesshoumaru took in the situation. Kagura, the one he had been searching for had came and found him. Kagura, also happened to know his terribly humiliating nickname, more than likely  
learning it from his worthless excuse for a brother, or maybe his mate. His first reaction was to kill her. However, she knew something he wanted to know. Sure, he could just go ask Inuyasha,   
but that would hurt his precious pride. (Never mind the fact that he has a little mortal girl on his shoulders.. wears make up.. and carries around a fluffy puffy thing, plus, he's been nicknamed   
Sesshy). So he couldn't kill her. And he couldn't let the name spread anymore than it already had. Okay, so the only suitable course of action was to 'talk first, kill later'. Excellent, his motto for life.  
~  
"Who killed Naraku."  
~  
"If I tell you you'll kill me."  
~  
"What? Me? Kill you? Nonsense." Seshoumaru trying his best to feign innocence was definitely a sight to see.  
~  
"Seshy! You can't kill wind lady!"  
~  
In one swift movement Seshy brought Rin down from his shoulders and out on the ground before him, looking at her as if she had just said 'I miss Jaken, he told me someday we could get  
married and have little froggies! Will you get me a new one?'.  
~  
"Why not?" .. 'didn't Rin say just a while ago that we should kill Kagura and steal her feather?'  
~  
"Because! She's nice!"  
~  
"What?". As far as Seshy knew, Rin hadn't ever spoken to Kagura, certainly not long enough to know anything about her personality.  
~  
The little human girl approached Kagura and smiled a big grin, one of unconditional love and kindness.  
~  
Kagura stared down at the little girl, wondering what she had ever done to deserve someone, much less a mortal, referring to her as nice, and smiling at her like that to boot!  
~  
"See. Wind Lady won't tell anyone else.. she feels bad Sesshy. And she's.. sad... and confused.. and.. you c-can't kill her Sesshy."  
~  
"W..what? How do you know all that Rin?"  
~  
Kagura was shocked. The girl had just described exactly how she felt. Exactly. Sad. Confused. And lost.. It was difficult adjusting to life with no one controlling her every action..   
~  
"Rin sees it in her eyes... can't you see it too?"  
~  
Seshy looked at the wind youkai's eyes, seeing absolutely nothing except two red scarlet orbs glaring into his own. How was it that Rin could read someone so well, just by looking at  
them? How could she understand people so well. Before she had joined him, her own kind had betrayed her, and yet she still kept her compassion. Or maybe it was those events that  
lead her to be what she was. But what was she exactly? She was no human. No. Definitely not a human, though her body completely contradicted that sentence. Humans were selfish,  
petty, and undignified. They held little or no care for their fellow man, and were born brash and stupid. When it came to fighting, they merely charged blindly with only the ambition to  
destroy. Usually they didn't have anything worth fighting for. And they were cowards. They had no sense of compassion. They were truly an 'every man for themselves' race. He truly detested them.  
~  
But Rin was so different. She didn't complain. She tolerated and loved Jaken (while he was alive), and the frog even annoyed himself. She gave everyone a fair chance, not blinded by prejudice against   
anything. She remained reasonably calm in even the most drastic of situations. And she displayed such determination. And even now, she was feeling pity for someone who could kill her with a flick of their   
wrist.  
~  
Rin wasn't human. She wasn't youkai. And yet she was both. She had been born a human, faced with death, slaughter, and then rejection, only to be found and raised by his own incapable hands. Somehow   
she had crossed the species barrier, crossed it in a way he had only saw one other person do. Inuyasha's mate. She was like that blasted bitch. Of course, if she had to be like any human, Inuyasha's bitch   
was by far the best one he knew of. She had turned out half way alright. Maybe Rin could do the same.  
~  
Of course, Inuyasha's wench had also managed to erode the barrier Inuyasha had placed between himself and humans. He only hoped that Rin wouldn't do the same to him when she got older. To fall in love   
with Rin, a human, would be the ultimate disgrace. But he'd said it himself already. In his eyes, Rin was no human.  
~  
"I wont kill you. Just tell me who killed Naraku."  
~  
For some reason, Kagura trusted him. "Inuyasha's mate, Kagome. She killed him. Chopped his fucking head off."  
~  
"The girl? The human?", Seshy couldn't believe his youkia hearing enhanced ears.  
~  
"Kyaa! I knew it was Kagome all along!", Rin's already large grin got bigger, as she was quite proud of herself for guessing correctly.  
~  
Kagura took note of the way Sesshoumaru had been looking at Rin. "Sesshy- ahem. Sesshoumaru. I think I need to talk to you alone for a second."  
~  
"Alone? Why? State your business here."  
~  
Kagura shrugged and pointed at the little girl still smiling up at her, seeing that the girl looked like she was expecting something, Kagura reached down and patted her on the head in what she hoped   
appeared to be an affectionate matter. "I need to tell you something about the little girl."  
~  
"Rin. Remember that stream we passed a short time ago? Go catch yourself something to eat. I will come and get you when I'm done here."  
~  
"Okay Sesshy-sama!"  
~  
Sesshy watched her leave, as soon as she was out of his sight, he turned to face the wind youkai. "What is it."  
~  
"The little girl. She's a human right?"  
~  
"..yes."  
~  
"In about ten years she'll be full grown, correct? And in about ten years I should have fully recovered from my energy drain."  
~  
As much as his mind kept telling him interest was not a good thing to show, Sesshy showed it any way. "What are you talking about."  
~  
"Yesterday, I turned the exterminator and the monk into hanyous, upon their request. In ten years, I should have enough energy again to make two hanyous, or one full youkai.", she tossed a meaningful   
nod of her head in the direction Rin had went. " There isn't really a long list of people wanting to become youkai, but just in case someone else comes along with a request, would you like me to put you up first.. in case you *do* decide you want to make her into a suitable species. "  
~  
Sesshy turned his back to her and began on his way to find Rin. Before disappearing into a tree, he mumbled one sentence, almost incomprehensively.  
~  
"Thank you."  
~  
Kagura smiled, getting back on her feather, 'I'll take that as a yes in Sesshy language.'  
~  
********************-H~I~G~U~R~A~S~H~I___S~H~R~I~N~E********************************  
~  
Souta pushed his breakfast around on his plate. To be honest, he was getting pretty worried about his sister. What with her jumping up out of nowhere, running off and jumping into the well for no reason. It'd been three days since that happened, and not a word from Kagome.  
~  
"Um.. mom? Aren't you a little worried about Kagome?"  
~  
"Of course not sweety. Inuyasha will take good care of my baby! I'm sure she's just fine."  
~  
"Um.. right."  
~  
Jii-chan didn't have quite as much confidence in Inuyasha as Mrs. Higurashi, not because he thought he might hurt her or anything, and he certainly didn't think he was a bad choice for a husband. Mainly, his doubts were the product of watching Inuyasha play with Buyo. Anyone who tormented a cat while singing an incomprehensible tune couldn't be all too bright.   
~  
"Are you sure?"  
~  
"Think about it this way. If there *is* something wrong, there's nothing we can do about it, so why worry? Besides, call it mother's intuition, or maybe the fact that I can see Kagome through the window coming out of the well house with Inuyasha and her friends, but I think she might be coming for a visit today!"  
~  
*********************~~A~U~T~H~O~R~S~__N~O~T~E~~*********************  
~  
Hmm, been a while ne? 4,377 words. Feel privileged because I only got around 35 reviews.This chapter I'm sure was boring, pointless, and pure filler. I hope you enjoyed it anyway. I was   
happy with the sesshy bit though. Anyway, bad news for you guys (and me in away). I am going to my father's tomorrow. And this time my brother isn't going with me. And he sure as hell  
wont let me take his computer with me. Seeing as how my computer died about 2 weeks after I got it, I can't say that I blame him. Anyway, that means I am completely computer less, for  
about 2 weeks. So that means no update for a while. Sumimasen. Really, I am sorry. But please please please, give me lots of reviews and I'll love you forever! And, just in case my undying  
love doesn't mean much to you, I'll also give you a humungous update! I promise. My biggest one so far! At least 7,000 words. PROMISE! As long as I get 50 reviews, I write 7,000 words.  
Alrighty? So please review!  
~  
Oh, and I know the story is very unplotness right now, but Sango had to give birth before the plot can move foreward. So the next few chapters are going to be pretty much filler. Usually,   
my fillers are just full of humor, and explanations. The future chapters will include. (In no particular order) Moving into the cave. Meeting Kouga. The wedding party. Just stuff like that.  
~  
Oh, I almost forgot! I changed my pen name! Didja notice? I wanted something more original than Heather.  
According to the translating program I used, it means 'Alone', in Japanese. But wouldn't it suck if I spelt it wrong and meant something like 'foot', or 'potatoe'?  
~  
Anyway. On to my usual 'Authoress answers questions section'  
~  
Gilbert: My thoughts exactly.  
~  
Vold: The miroku episode is actually one of my favorites too. And no, not on spring break, I'm home schooled! Weeeeeeeeeeee! I always assumed you were a girl for some reason, so I wasn't confused by your name. Oh and thanks for the suggestion, but I can't force myself to read AU…something about it disturbs me. And I think I've finally decided on this pen name. Went through a few ne? Anyways, thanks for all your reviews! Oh, and I feel the same way about the day I get one thousand reviews (if ever) *gets dreamy look*  
~  
Lord Agamus: Kill the telletubie. Kill it.  
~  
Lady night: That enough sesshy for you!? Personally I thought I needed more of him too. Oh, and yes, Tohru is the single most annoying leading female character in an anime EVER. *smacks tohru upside the head*  
~  
Admiral Biatch: Wow, a review about nothing. However did you do it? Been a while sense you reviewed. Actaully I assumed you abandoned me. Kagura called sesshy sesshy. Didja enjoy that blissful moment. Oh, and believe me, Miroku WILL have canine tendencies, how could I resist?  
~  
Bunny: The thing about the pic of doggy miroku and maybe cat sango. They would be appreciated, sence I've actually drawn some fan art for this story (I must really think a lot of myself) and I'd like to create a fan art page. (once again, apparently thinks a lot of self). On a note to anyone else, your art would be very appreciated! Just send it via email. Desespoir_Despair@yahoo.com.  
~  
Okay. I answered a few of your questions. And, if anyone has a question they REALLY want answered, just say so in your review. Also, a lot of you (okay, a few) have been wandering how much longer this fic should last. I'm not sure. Maybe 15 ish more chapters..?  
~  
Please review. Your reviews feed the starving children in Ethiopia. Don't let them die.  
~  
Okay. Review or I feed YOU to the starving children in Eithiopia.  
~  
-Heather- 


	40. Mondo Kawaii Mode

**Chapter?: The Mondo Kawaii Mode**

Kagome saw her mother waving through the window and motioned for her to come outside. Mrs. Higurashi nodded and left the window, appearing again opening the door, accompanied by Souta and Jii-chan . Souta breathed an all to audible sigh of relief at seeing his sister alive, he really had been worried about her. Jii-chan smiled, just as comforted by his granddaughters appearance as Souta. Mrs.Higurashi's reaction however, was quite different, and what would prove to be a terrifying experience for Miroku.

She squinted. Her daughter and friends were still a pretty large distance away, and her eyesight had never been quite perfect. But it wasn't that, it was the fact that she almost couldn't believe her eyes. For, her eyes were telling her that right in front of her was the single most kawaii thing she had ever seen, actually, in front of her, was a group of extremely kawaii things, some she had seen before, some that were new. She clasped her hands together in a way to school girlish fashion.

Kagome could see the look her mother was getting in her eye all to well with her enhanced vision, and it didn't take a genius to know why it was there. There was a reason she and the rest of the group had been just standing outside the well house, rather than going up and greeting her family. 

Inuyasha and Shippo both new why Kagome had stopped, both of them had felt the wrath of Kagome's mother. Sango and Miroku weren't too sure what was going on, but neither one liked the way Mrs.Higurashi was looking at them, practically drooling.

Then Kagome saw what she had been dreading, just as she had feared, her mother was beginning to open her mouth, a squeal already emanating from it.

"Quick everyone, cover your ears! Now!"

Detecting the severe urgency in Kagome's voice, each one of them covered there ears tightly, save Kirara, who had never hated her feline body more than she did right that minute.

"KKKAAAAAAAAAAAAWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Shippo whimpered. Inuyasha grimaced. Sango and Miroku cursed there sensitive ears. Kirara considered suicide. Kagome sighed. Souta rolled his eyes, and Jii-chan had never been more thankful for his old age and lack of money to buy a hearing aid.

Mrs.Higurashi ran right up to the still recovering group and for a minute, she looked like she seemed lost. In reality, she just saw so many cute things at once, she didn't know what to do. It was like an overload of cuteness, she almost fainted. Unfortunately, logic took over her (Mrs.Higurashi Logic at least), and she did what she considered to be rational. 

She giddily went and played with Miroku's ears.

Never before had the touch of a female been so unsettling to Miroku. This woman, that he barely new, had just came up and was now touching, no _petting_ his ears. Now what would be the dignified monkly thing to do in this situation? 

"erm…um.." Probably not that.

Sango didn't really know what to do either, after all, usually, she would just hit the offender with her boomerang, but this was Kagome's mother! She couldn't do that. So what _could_ she do? 'Mrs., can you stop playing with my mates ears?'. She just couldn't bring herself to say that.

"umm…" Oh yeah, that was much better.

Shippo didn't care if Miroku's ears were being fondled, hey, it was every youkai for himself, which pretty much summed up Inuyasha's point of view as well.

Luckily, for Miroku at least, but most definitely not for Kirara, Kagome came to the rescue.

"Mother! mom! Look here! Look what I have! It's Kirara!", she proceeded to basically shove the now growling feline into her mother's face.

At the sight of the two tailed adorable kitty, her mother dropped Miroku's ears at once, now glomping onto Kirara.

And Kirara was meowing miserably. _Can't..Breathe!..A..little…**help**..here!?_

Sango pretended to ignore her, opting instead to undo her pony tail so that her hair hid her ears better. She tried in vain to hide her tail as well. However, her tail didn't seem to want to cooperate, sticking straight up with it's hair straight on end. Sango damned her feline tendencies.

Once again, Kagome took care of the problem, "Erm mom, why don't you let her down! She can do a trick! It's really erm.. neat! "

"A trick! I wanna see!" Kirara fell to the ground as Mrs.Higurashi once again clasped her hands together.

Kirara didn't need Kagome to ask her again, she obediently transformed into her larger, scarier form, and hoped to whatever was good and holy that Kagome's mom did _not_ find it cute too.

By now, Souta and Jii-chan had arrived on the scene.

Jii-chan dug in his clothes, looking for a seal, only to prove, yet again, that they were anything but useful.

Despite Kirara's prayers, Mrs.Higurashi seemed to find this form just as cute, if not cuter, than the last one, as she was now petting her.

__

Sango..PLEASE!

"Wow..cool!", Souta was definitely impressed with the gigantic Kitty, and Sango saw this as her chance to save herself, Kirara, and Miroku from certain doom.

Sango nudged Inuyasha, who had been hiding behind Kagome with Shippo, both of them trying to make themselves as least noticeable as possible. "Hey, Inuyasha, who's the little boy?"

Inuyasha pressed his finger to his lips, shushing her. He couldn't draw attention to himself!

Shippo hopped over to Sango's shoulder, perfectly willing to answer her question, after all, this might be his escape too.

"That's Souta, Kagome's little brother."

Sango nodded and stepped over to the little boy, smiling brightly. "How'd you like to take a ride on her?" 

"Really! You'd let _me_ do that!?"

"Sure! We do all the time!" 

Miroku finally realized where Sango was going with this and joined in. "Yeah, it's really fun too, especially when we get _really_ high in the air."

Souta's mouth fell open. "In the _air?_ **COOL!**". Alas, then realization dawned and caused the boy to become crestfallen, as it often does. "…but flying cat youkai isn't something people are used to in present day Japan…".

Sango and Miroku both pretended to act as disappointed as he was. Of course, that didn't last long, as Miroku all of a sudden smacked his forehead and looked as if he had just gotten a wonderful idea

"I've got it!, you can come with me and Sango to the Feudal era for a little while and ride her!", before he could go on enthusiastically about how great the feudal era was, as he had planned to do, he was hit upside the head in a not at all subtle manner by Shippo. "Um… and.. Shippo will come to.. because.. um.. because.."

"Because I'm just _so_ cool!", Shippo supplied.

Sango nodded, "Right.. because.. he's.. just.. so cool.."

Now Souta really wasn't an idiot, and he could see straight through their charade. However, he wasn't gonna let that get in the way of going to the past and riding on a gigantic cat demon high in the air with a kitsune and two other demons, one with a cool boomerang. Besides, he couldn't say that he blamed them anyway, his mother could be.. well.. strange. He would just play along.

Of course, there was the matter of whether or not Jii-chan and his mother would allow him to go to a demon infested era and ride above the tree tops on a cat demon with two people he only knew from his sisters stories about her adventures. Actually, his mother wouldn't really be a problem, and Jii-chan could probably be persuaded, in reality, It was really a question of whether or not his _sister_ would let him.

"Um.. Sis?"

Kagome took a break from trying to persuade Inuyasha to come out of the well house, where he had taken up hiding at, to look over at her brother.

"Yeah?"

"Erm…", He stared at his feet, honestly doubting his sister would let him go, "Can I.. go to the Feudal era and ride the cat with your friends?"

Kagome took in the situation, under normal circumstances, she would never allow her brother to go to that time, without herself at least. It wasn't that she didn't trust Miroku and Sango, no, she knew they could protect him, and he would be safe with them. It was just that they didn't understand how different the two times where as much as she did. They wouldn't understand all the simple things that seemed normal to them, but might actually scare Souta out of his wits.

But this wasn't normal circumstances. Her mom wouldn't stop becoming attached to random kawaii beings, and currently wouldn't stop petting Kirara, who she could tell was definitely getting annoyed.. Not to mention a grandfather throwing seals and scrolls all over the poor cat youkai. She had a hanyou hiding in a well house for all he was worth, simply because her mother had went into mondo kawaii mode. And then she had three other people who would like nothing more to be anywhere but there. 

Sure, she wanted her friends to meet her family, but now wasn't the time. Her mother needed to calm down a little first. And right now, Sango, Miroku, Kirara, Shippo, and Souta going away for just a little while seemed like pretty good solution.

She took one last look between all three scenes. The seal throwing, the arm she was trying to tug out of the well house, the petting, the growling, and the three pleading faces.

"Um.. sure.. but I'll be back for you in thirty minutes!"

  
Souta could hardly believe his ears, his sister was _letting_ him go there? Sango and Miroku were equally surprised, they really hadn't thought it would work. But, however surprised they were, they weren't going to wait around for her to change her mind. Kirara transformed back, and dashed past Inuyasha into the well house, followed by Sango, Souta, and Shippo. 

Miroku stayed back a second, knowing he always would have to be the rational one. "Kagome? Are you sure we can go through the well without you or Inuyasha?"

Kagome stopped pulling vigorously at Inuyasha and looked to Miroku, surprised that he was actually still there. "Huh? What? Oh sure. Should work, it's your true time and all, but it's not Souta's, so make sure someone has a hold of him or he'll get left behind. I'll come back and get you all in thirty minutes.

Miroku nodded and joined the others. Shaking his head all the way as he tried to figure out just how Kagome always managed to be able to remain so calm in any situation, well, at least how she could talk coherently while fighting with a stubborn inu youkai.

Mrs.Higurashi looked to where the gang of cute things had stood just seconds before. Where did they go? For fear of going into withdrawal, she latched onto the first cute thing in her line of vision, and it certainly wasn't Jii-chan.

Kagome jerked around as something grabbed onto her ears, altogether abandoning her struggle with Inuyasha to see who the offender was, not that there was really much of a chance it was her grandfather, unless of course he was trying to cut them off of her.

"Mother! Let go! That hurts.", She whipped her head around though as her hearing detected _someone_ making a mad dash for a certain time period. "SIT!"

****

CRASH

She really had to love those ears.. those ears that someone had finally reluctantly let go of.

"BITCH!" Even now, mates and all, there were still times that Inuyasha showed his less than pleasant side, mainly after a sit.

"YEAH I AM ONE!" Of course now, Kagome had a bit of a different response for it. Hell, what was she supposed to do? Argue with the dictionary?

It was strange too, how just that tiny different reaction gave her at least and extra thirty minutes of free time to her day. Before, she would have just sit him again, and he would bitch her again, and the cycle would have continued until (a) Inuyasha stopped moving (b) She had to stop because of a Shikon shard presence, or (c ) The unlikely event that he apologized. But now, just that simple admittance of yes, she was in fact a bitch, at least by all technical standards, effectively ended the argument. Just as it did this time, as Inuyasha walked begrudgingly out of the well house, rubbing his back for that 'I still don't forgive you.. but I really do' effect.

Jii-chan and Mrs.Higurashi stared between the two. Well, Jii-chan did, Mrs.Higurashi was really just staring at there cute ears.

  
Jii-chan shook his head sadly, "How awful.. you've only been together less than a month and already so many fights.. you should probably just give your relationship up now.." He wiped a tear from his eye.

Inuyasha, who had already joined Kagome at her side, and wrapped an arm around her waist, looked at him as if he hadn't the slightest idea what he was talking about.

Actually, it even took Kagome a minute to figure out what he was talking about.. it been so long since she had _stopped_ thinking _anything_ of these little quarrels.

"Oh, you mean the 'sitch'?" Kagome referred to it with the term she had started referring to it in her head a long time ago without even realizing it. Mainly, the term had been used for the sake of her and Sango's conversations. Some times when the two had been just talking, they would discuss Kagome and Inuyasha's fights. Originally, they had referred to it as the Sit bitch, but that had only led to major back aches for Inuyasha, usually when he was just within hearing range, but minding his own business. Thus, it had became know as sitch, a perfectly harmless word.

Jii-chan shook his head again, this time confused. Mrs.Higurashi amused herself with a butterfly.

"..sitch?"

Kagome shook her head for a yes and got ready for a hasty explanation, taking a step to the left of Inuyasha."Yes, Sitch. The 'si' for sit."

CRASH

"and the tch is for.."

"BITCH!"

"Exactly."

Jii-chan finally began to understand. "Oh.. well then yes, I mean the sitch."

Kagome smiled a comforting smile, "The sitch is nothing to be concerned about Jii-chan. It happens all the time and means absolutely nothing. I sit him when he's being stubborn or rude, which doesn't really cause much pain or damage, considering he's a hanyou, and then he calls me a bitch, which is correct, considering I am a female of the dog species."

"Um.. right."

Inuyasha pried himself from the group, looking none too happy. "Did'ja really have to give him a _demonstration?"_

Mrs.Higurashi sighed as the butterfly eluded her grasp yet again, this time flying too far away for any hope to be left of catching it. Coming to terms with the fact that yet another cute thing had gotten away, she resigned herself to the two cute things left.

"Sweety! What brings you here?"

~~~~~**Authors** **Note~~~~**

SUMIMASEN! SUMIMASEN! SUMIMASEN! (hmm..I think I just turned into a certain character from Fruits basket)

This has been my shortest chapter in a long time. Only about 2,500 words. I know I promised you a long update (7000 words) But things have changed. I ended up taking much longer than I expected at my dad's and was computer less the whole time. Now I'm back and I have lots of things going on right now. But that isn't going to get in the way of my writing, the only reason this is so short is because I really wanted to post something for you guys to hold you over. I promise to update again with a 5000 word post (to complete my 7000 word promise) within the next two days. I PROMISE! So wait patiently like good little reviewers.

****

Vold: About your story, I know, I still haven't read it, but I will. I absolutely promise. I have to finish up with my writing, but I should read it before Friday, and review. Promise. Thanks for all your reviews, as usual. 

****

Alesyira: I can't tell you how very thankful I am that you actually went through and reviewed every single chapter! Most people just review the last chapter posted, but I much much more prefer it when they do like you did! Thanks for all the compliments and thanks for reading my story.

****

Sorensen: Yeah yeah, 19 days. Sorry. Actually, 22 now. I think. A big update within the next two days. Promise!

There should be more author talks to reviewers in my next chapter. Oh, and I'm sure some of you are wondering, or at least one of you, what ever happened to my favorite reviewers list. Well, they were getting to be too long and I got tired of typing it all out, so now, theres a new contest, the all time most favorite reviewer ever, will be mentioned in a special dedication page at the end of this story. There will be a top five greatest reviewer awards. so theres something to strive for.. so..

**__**

REVIEW!

The deity,

Heather


	41. The Serious Side of MrsHigurashi: Unveil...

****

Chapter?: The Serious Side of Mrs. Higurashi, Unveiled!

_

Note: If you are just now realizing my story has been updated, and haven't viewed it in the last 5 days, than there is a chapter before this that I posted 3 days ago.. or 4, I don't rememeber. 

__________________________________________________________

Kagome and Inuyasha sat at the kitchen table with Kagome's family. Thankfully, Kagome had finally gotten her mom to calm down somewhat, and hopefully, within the next thirty minutes, she was going to be able to (1)Get her mother to act normal for once, (2) Get furniture, supplies, and modern conveniences ready to be taken to her cave, (3) Find out what her mom had in mind exactly for her marriage party (4) Have a serious discussion with her mother, without Inuyasha, (5) Talk her mother into _staying_ in the present while she went to the past to get Souta and her friends, and (6), give her mother and Jii-chan a crash course in feudal Japan since she knew it was pretty unlikely that her mother would back down from wanting to go. Not that she could blame her anyway, If it were _her_ daughter, she'd want to know what kind of environment she was living in. Besides, it was bound to happen sooner or later.

So what was that, six things to do, in thirty minutes.

  
Kami, she was a hanyou, not a magician.

Her head fell to her hands as she wandered just how she was supposed to manage to do this.

"Kagome? You alright?"

It was Inuyasha, yep, leave it to him to force her to say _something_.

"Yes, I'm alright.. Mom, I came here to talk to you about my house."

"A house! My little girl has her own house?!"

Kagome began to rub the back of her neck, embarrassed.

"well.. sort of.."

"Does it have any seals on it Kagome? Is it protected from evil?" Jii-chan eagerly pulled some seals out of his pockets, volunteering them to his granddaughter.

It wasn't that she was embarrassed about where she lived, it was just that, she was nervous about how saying 'well, it's a cave really', would sound, without the person first _seeing_ it.

But, apparently _she_ wouldn't have to say it.

"I'm enough protection myself!", Inuyasha started defensively, "And it's a cave, which only makes it safer!"

Jii-chan face faulted. "a… cave? My granddaughter's living in a cave!?"

Mrs. Higurashi, somehow, managed to kick Jii-chan's chair out from under him.

****

Crash

Kagome half expected her grandfather to call her mother a bitch. Instead, he just mumbled something incoherent and pried himself from the floor. Inuyasha sighed in sympathy.

"Well, _I_ think it's simply wonderful Kagome! A cave! Is it pretty? How big is it?"

A look of pride came over Inuyasha. "It's real big, ten rooms at least! And Kagome says it's pretty. It's even got a hot spring."

"It's very pretty mom, there is an entire room composed of pink quartz."

"Well then I absolutely must see it sweety!"

Just as Kagome had expected. She tried to tell herself she was unhappy about this, but she knew full well that she was near ecstatic about her family finally seeing what it was like for her. She'd missed her family so much over the last months, letting them see what she experienced everyday, maybe It could bring them closer to understanding all the things she had been through, and she'd love to let them meet Kaede, sure, the old women was a bit odd at times, but she was still like a grandmother to her.

"That's exactly what I was thinking mom, how about you come with me when I go get Souta?"

"Wonderful!"

"Um.. Kagome, are you sure that's such a good idea, these times are pretty different you know… what if we get attacked or something, they can't protect themselves."

"It'll be fine Inuyasha, besides, for a while, I couldn't protect myself either, so you protected me for me.", she stopped a minute as a faint blush spread across her cheeks, "..but, now I can protect myself, as well as my family."

Inuyasha nodded, a little self conscious about talking about the early days of their relationship in front of people.

Jii-chan finally managed to get sat back down again in his chair. He seemed to be having an inner argument with himself, one between his pride and his curiosity. He sighed, as his curiosity finally won.

"..can I go too Kagome?"

"Sure Jii-chan! But like I was trying to say, I've been wanting to talk to you about my house, er cave.."

"What about it sweety?"

"Well, I was hoping I could bring some comforts from home, how do you feel about us going shopping for some furniture and stuff? I was hoping Sango and Miroku could go too, but Sango's tail is just too noticeable, and, though we could probably cover Miroku's ears with a hat, I don't think he'd want to go without Sango."

Mrs. Higurashi's grin faded a little, "..But honey, we don't really have the money for that.."

Jii-chan nodded.

Kagome's grin didn't falter a bit. "I've already thought about that, and I've thought up a solution already, Inuyasha, go dig up the stuff we buried."

"Eh? Why?"

"Just do it baka."

"Feh." he responded, but apparently feh meant yes this time, as he was already making his way outside.

~*~

Inuyasha made his way back with all the shit they'd buried less than an hour ago. Well, technically over 500 years ago. He couldn't help but be curious as to what she had in mind, after all, how could all this, now old and dirty, crap be worth anything.

Speaking of it being old and moldy, he had to admit that when he had first dug it up he had been nothing short of amazed, and perhaps a tad bit unsettled. The effects of time on the items we're clearly displayed, and yet they had only traveled the same time distance as he had, just in another mode of transportation.

He never had stopped to think about the magic of the well, the crossing of time. Never even stopped to realize how strange it was.. but looking at these objects, that belonged to his friends currently in the same time they were buried… it was weird..

His friends… if they hadn't turned hanyou, than they would be just as worn as these items..

His thoughts were cut short as he arrived back in the house. He shoved the objects onto the table. And, judging by the way Kagome's jaw had gone unhinged, her thought process was more than likely pretty similar to what his own had been. He simply took his seat with out a word.

Kagome stared at the items on the table, and, with a shaking hand, picked up Shippo's little top. It was dirty and faded. It caused her to think of the Shippo that she didn't know. The Shippo who had buried his top with his adopted mother 500 years ago. The Shippo that was now a grown kitsune living somewhere, in this time… Where was that Shippo right now? Where was _she_ now? Where was Inuyasha? Sango? Miroku?

She let out a sigh, realizing that she would have to wait 500 years to find that out, because, if she knew _herself_, that her older self would think it just as bad an idea to communicate with it's younger self as she did. She shook her head, as if to get the thoughts to leave.

Her grandfather stared in awe at the items, Mrs. Higurashi just looked puzzled.

"Honey.. what are we supposed to do with all of this junk?"

Kagome opened her mouth to explain, but was abruptly cut off by her grandfather.

"**JUNK?** Junk? You call this junk?", he grabbed hold of Miroku's bag of coins, emptying the ancient currency out onto the table, "These are ancient artifacts from over five hundred years ago! Do you have any idea how much this is worth?"

The girl in the red Kimono was quite relieved, she had been afraid that maybe they might not be worth much at all, but judging by her grandfather's actions, that was far from the truth.

"..How much?", Inuyasha asked, genuinely curious.

Jii-chan was beginning to go into a mode that was eerily similar to how Mrs. Higurashi had been acting earlier. "Enough to buy you two anything at all you want for your cave, pay for Souta's tuition and college, with enough left over for us in the future to live quite comfortably for the rest of our lives."

A gasp escaped Kagome's mouth. "_that_ much?"

Inuyasha poked her on the shoulder, "Kagome, what's college?"

"Not now Inuyasha, Jii-chan, how could it be worth _that_ much."

It must have been Jii-chans lucky day, not only had he just been given a buttload of money, but here was his granddaughter, wanting him to tell her about all his useless knowledge!

Mrs. Higurashi leaned over and starting explaining about college to Inuyasha, who was beginning to look miserably confused.

Jii-chan straightened up a little with pride, clearly ignoring the two other people in the room talking about college. "Well, you see Kagome, most of the stuff here, especially these coins, are worth a _lot_, but what brings in the real value is this katana. If I remember correctly, not many of this kind was made back then, there is a legend, that the only one's who made a type like this were 'demon exterminators', of course, it's but a myth that _that_ is true, and now a days it is only used as and adjective to emphasize it's great rarity. I've only heard about one other of it's kind ever being found, and the person who had it, supposedly as an heirloom, sold it to a museum in America for millions…"

"M.. Millions?", now Kagome had thought that she would be able to get a few thousand, maybe, out of it, but.. millions?

"Yes. Millions." Jii-chan tried his best not to laugh in merriment as all the luxuries he could now afford flashed through his head, think of all the sacred seals he could buy!

"And now I can pay that medical bill! The police really haven't been too nice after they found out we snuck your friends out of the hospital without paying!"

Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at Mrs. Higurashi.

"Wh.. what!? Why didn't you tell me?", Jii-chan demanded, obviously none to happy about being left out of some very important information.

"Kagome, what happens when you don't pay your medical bill in this time?"

"Not now Inuyasha!"

Mrs. Higurashi ignored the people looking at her as if she had lost her mind, "I didn't want to worry any of you! And besides, I knew all along that everything would turn out all right in the end!"

Kagome thanked the gods that it actually _had_ worked out, if it hadn't.. she would have never been able to forgive herself, and what would have happened to her mother?! 

"Jii-chan.. do you know where to go to sell that for money at?"

"Of course I do! There's a place in town that buys antiques from people then sell them to museums."

"Really?", Kagome hadn't known that.

"Kagome, what's a museum?"

"Not now Inuyasha, Jii-chan, why don't you go take them there right now?", she stopped as she took a look at the hanyou beside her, " And why don't you take Inuyasha along too?"

"Kaaa-goo-maaay..", and, for that split second, Kagome could have sworn Shippo was there, as Inuyasha's whine was _that_ childish.

"Inuyasha, I really need to have a talk with my mom…"

"Well then I can stay too."

"Inuyasha, do you want me to give them another demonstration of sitch?"

Inuyasha actually _looked_ like he felt left out, he probably did, she had kind of ignored him all day.

"It's not that I want to get rid of you, I just need to talk to my mom alone, but I promise I'll tell you what it's about later, okay?"

Inuyasha reluctantly nodded his head.

"Alright, now go get your baseball cap, it's in my room on the dresser, and _don't_ stray away from Jii-chan. Jii-chan, _don't_ lose my mate… alright?"

~*~

Kagome waved to Inuyasha as he sped down the road with Jii-chan. She kind of felt sorry for him, and a tad bit guilty, especially after he looked at her with those big pleading.. erm.. puppy dog eyes before Jii-chan took off.

It had taken near forever just to dissuade him from using the Inuyasha express to get to the shop. The poor hanyou was still scared to death of cars, unfortunately, Jii-chan was scared to death of riding on the back of a demon at high speeds, lunging into the air and jumping buildings. And of course, Jii-chan's argument won. Besides, a guy with a hat on and long white hair, wearing out of date clothes with an old man clinging to his back as he jumped through the air, just didn't fit the definition of normal in present day Japan.

She turned to her mother beside her, "Well mom, I kinda need to talk to you.. and.. it's something that well… mom, can you act serious.. please?"

~*~

Kagome and Mrs. Higurashi sat side by side on the lip of the well, it probably wasn't the choice location for important discussions, but it was where Kagome felt the most comfortable, more than likely because of what the place meant to her. If she had never fallen in here, if Buyo hadn't been missing, if Souta was feeling a little more brave that day, where would she be now? Would she be anywhere near the same person?

What would have become of Inuyasha, Shippo, Sango, and Kirara.. had she not fallen in this well..

Such a simple action, just helping her kid brother out with finding the cat, and then.. well, here she was.. just one simple action that had resulted in, to put it simply, her living 500 years in the past.

She'd changed so much since that day, and it hadn't even been over a year.

Yet hear she was, an Inu hanyou with an adopted kitsune son, living in the past with her inu hanyou mate, and here she was about to have a conversation with her mother she had always thought, well, at least she had a year ago, that it would have been a _lot_ longer before she had it.

Mrs. Higurashi beamed with satisfaction as she looked at her daughter. She'd grown up so fast, and had been given so many responsibilities, especially for a little girl, she'd over come so much. Kagome, she was so proud of her, after all, how many mother's could say that their daughters had saved the world?

She'd turned out so well, so perfect, kind hearted yet brave, considerate but able to stand up for what she believed in, and so very, very determined.

"Kagome sweety, what was it you wanted to talk about?", yes, even when most of the time she acted like a complete ditz, when her daughter asked her too, she could be serious.

"Sango, you know the demon exterminator.. the one with the tail, she's pregnant."

Mrs. Higurashi controlled as best she could the urge to scream out wonderful. "That's wonderful!", Well, at least she had said it in a semi-normal voice. 

"Yes.. that day I up and left, it was because, well, I just _knew_ something was wrong, I could feel it. And something was. Mom, her baby almost died, some sort of bird youkai attacked her, only for the sake of killing the baby, as best we can gather.. we don't know why.."

"That's terrible.. is it going to be alright?" If the baby hadn't made it.. that poor , poor girl.

"It should be, that's the reason she's got the tail now mom, she went and gave up her humanity just so her baby could live, well, half her humanity anyway… so It should be okay.. but.. I think I'm getting off subject here, I brought up Sango's pregnancy because, well, I wanted to talk about being pregnant, me and Inuyasha are.. um.. considering.." 

  
Once again, Mrs. Higurashi was forced to control herself from squealing, "A child, Oh Kagome! That's so wonderful! I only wish your father was alive to hear this."

Kagome looked up from the wooden floor of the well house , which, since the start of her conversation, she had seemed to find very interesting. "You.. You do? You don't think I'm too young?!"

Her mother just smiled in a way that only mothers are capable of. 

"Kagome honey, you've been _too young _your whole life. You were too young when your father died. You we're too young to fall into a well and except the responsibility of a cursed jewel. You were too young to spend so much time away from your family, weeks at a time sometimes, times at which I wasn't even sure if you were still alive. You were too young to be off fighting demons, and you were too young to fall in love as truly as you have. You've been too young for everything Kagome, but that has never stopped you."

Mrs. Higurashi's voice stayed surprisingly somber the whole time, as if she had long ago came to terms with all of this.

Kagome truly didn't know what to say, did her mother not approve of anything she had done? Did she feel like she had abandoned them? She suddenly felt guilty for all the times that she had been gone for weeks at a time without checking in, letting her mother know she was alive..

"I'm.. really sorry.."

The smile on Mrs. Higurashi's face remained, and her tone changed from somber to comforting. 

  
"Kagome, I didn't ask you to apologize. You have no reason too. And I never said I didn't support everything you've done."

"But… haven't I made you worry? Didn't you just say I was too young for all of this? "

"Kagome, honey, _anyone _would be too young for the things you've done, _I'm_ too young for the things you've done. But your different Kagome, you don't let that get in your way.."

Kagome noticed the lack of an answer for her other question, "But.. did I worry you mom? Do you wish.. do you wish that Buyo wouldn't have been missing that day?"

For once, the wisdom of age was present on Mrs. Higurashi's face, as well as the long sought after eyes of acceptance. 

"Yes, I've worried, but not anymore than any other normal mother worries, just about different things. Honey, the only thing I've ever asked is that you be happy. That's all I've ever wanted. Just for you to be happy, and that's all I ask of you. Whatever makes you happy, makes me happy too.. so.. no Kagome, I don't wish Buyo wouldn't have been missing, in fact, if he hadn't been, I would have hid him myself. "

"..Mom.."

"Besides, who would I be to argue with destiny?"

A chill coursed through Kagome's body at the word destiny.. that way her mother had said it..

Destiny? Was it destiny that brought her there? Was it destiny that brought them all together? Herself, Shippo, Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku, and Kirara? Or was it just a series of actions that just so happened to bring them all together, just a coincidence?

No, it couldn't be a coincidence, young school girls don't fall into wells and cross the barrier of space and time for the sake of coincidence. One doesn't go back in time because of coincidence. It's fate.

Destiny.

"Destiny Kagome.. if it had been anyone else who fell in that well.. I don't think they could have handled it, no, only you..", Mrs. Higurashi continued as if she could read Kagome's thoughts.

Not knowing anything else to do, not a more appropriate action, Kagome hugged her mom.

And it was at that moment, that Kagome realized just how well her mother knew her, just how much she understood, despite how her actions usually portrayed her as an ignorant idiot.

After a few more moments of mother daughter bonding, Kagome broke away from her mother, hoping to pursue another conversation on something else that had been bothering her.

"Mom..?"

"Yes.?

"Well, I'm a miko right? The reincarnation of one at least, and it seems like my miko powers have increased along with everything else that has since I became a hanyou, I still can't make attacks out of my magic, well, unless you count that thing I did with Kikyou… but.. well that's not what I'm getting at, what I mean is that well, my intuition has gotten better, and I'm a miko.. so.. I should trust that intuition, right?"

Mrs. Higurashi's answer was delayed a minute, as she tried to make sense of the rambling her daughter had just said. From what she could tell, it had something to do with her daughter's intuition getting stronger, and now she was getting a bad feeling.

"Kagome.. what's your intuition telling you?"

"Remember what I was saying about Sango, and her baby? It was just a random attack, for no real reason… well, not one that we can figure out… But I just _know_ there's a reason for it, and I can just tell it's big. Something important. And for some reason, however bizarre this is going to sound.. I get the feeling this person who is doing this.. that.. they don't want to.. does that make any sense at all?"

The older of the two women stopped to think about this, before responding with yet another serious, rational answer, still not a bit of her previous ditziness present. "Sometimes Kagome, we do things we have to do, even if we don't want to."

Kagome nodded, really no better off on that matter than she was before, but still strangley comforted.

"Thanks mom.."

And then, all signs of seriousness vanished from her mother and she became, yet again, a ditz. "So sweety! Are you going to have a baby? Have you decided? Is it going to have dog ears? Oh it's going to be sooooooo kawaii!"

"I still have to think about it a little longer mom…"

Kagome sighed at her mother's return to 'everything is so cute' mode, oh well, it had been nice while it lasted, and at least she had done _two_ out of the six things she had planned to do in thirty minutes, and hopefully, after Inuyasha and Jii-chan returned, she could get in her crash course on the feudal era before her time was up. As for getting furniture, well, they'd have to do that after they returned Souta to his correct time period, and who knew, maybe she could figure out a way to hide Sango's cat tail and they could _all_ go shopping.

~*~

Inuyasha's sharp nails bit into the vinyl arm rest on his seat. He had found out on the trip _to_ the wherever he was being taken, that Kagome's grandfather was _not_ a good driver. And here, on the trip _back _to Kagome's old house, he had came to find out that Kagome's grandfather was an even worse driver when he was high on life. Or more specifically, large quantities of money.

The old man was singing. _Singing_ _. _And singing _loudly_ to boot. Not to mention in a way to merry manner.

He, like the (kind of) intelligent hanyou that he was, had opted to sit in the car whilst Kagome's grandfather had went and did those weird human things.

"Do you think you could maybe.. slow down?"

Jii-chan ignored him, or rather didn't hear him.

Inuyasha groaned and sunk back into the seat, bracing his feet against the floorboard and holding on for dear life.

__

'Damn old men'

~*~

Remember those miko intuitions Kagome was talking about earlier? Well, right now, she was getting another one, right here as she watched T.V with her mother, and it was saying Inuyasha is _so_ not happy right now.

And sure enough, at that very moment, Inuyasha came bursting through the door, almost breaking it off it's hinges. 

And behind him, she heard.. singing?

"Don't worry about that door Inuyasha, we can buy a new one!"

Kagome resisted the urge to run in fear… that tone of voice.. her grandfather was sounding like her _mother_.

"Turn off the T.V and come have a look at this!"

The T.V was quickly turned off by Mrs. Higurashi, who then went over to see what Jii-chan had.

The old man plopped to the floor, setting a newly acquired brief case down in front of him. The locks undid with a snap, and then, staring up at Kagome, Inuyasha, and Mrs. Higurashi, was a whole briefcase full of money.

One of the strangest things that Kagome was ever to witness then took place, and that truly was saying a lot. It surpassed the strangeness of a sick sadistic freak who ran around wearing a dead baboon. It went above and beyond how odd the old woman with a strange obsession with herbs was. It was even weirder than Jaken.

Her mother and grandfather began to.. dance.

Yes. Dance. 

"Kagome.. _what _are they _doing?_"

"I.. I have no idea."

"We're Rich, We're rich, We're rich!" , Jii-chan began to sing in a completely off key old man voice. And, to add to the horror, Mrs. Higurashi also joined in, making up her own verses now and then.

" We're rich, We're rich, we're riiiiiii~ich!"

"And we no longer have to fish in the ditch!", of course, no one ever accused Mrs. Higurashi of being _good_ at improvising.

Jii-chan took a small break to take note of the fact that there we're two inu hanyous staring at him and Mrs. Higurashi as if they had just jumped up and broke out in song and dance. Oh wait, they _had_ just done that. 

"Um.. you guys?", Kagome stood up and tapped her mom on her shoulder. Inuyasha followed her lead and tapped Jii-chan on the shoulder. Both just kept dancing.

Remembering her promise to return to the feudal era in thirty minutes, she tossed a glance over her shoulder to look at the clock. Damnit. She didn't have much time left.

"Inuyasha, see that money on the floor, close the briefcase and put it.. I don't know, in my room or something."

"What about those two?", he nodded his head towards the dancing idiots.

"Um.. I'll take care of them."

"Have fun.."

Kagome watched him go, leaving her with _them_.

Well, there was only one thing to do at a time like this. Only one thing that could break them out of their money induced stupor. She searched the room for something she hoped no one would miss. Perfect, an empty ramen cup, Souta must have been eating it and forgot to throw it away.

She thought back to the day of Kikyou, trying to remember exactly what it was she did. It was actually hard, because it hadn't really been _her_ that did it, it was just instinct, no thought at all was put into it. Since then, she hadn't even tried to do it again, truth be told, it kind of scared her, the idea that she could have done _that_. But she _had_ been meaning to try it again, and Inuyasha had even been asking her about it, plus, she was pretty sure it ought to bring Jii-chan and her mom back to reality. So.. no harm in trying.

She repeated the actions as best she could remember, ending it all with an almost frightening cry of 'Okibi Aisu'.

Mrs. Higurashi and Jii-chan both turned around at the shreik of Kagome's voice, followed buy the bolt of ice and flame. Then, both simply just stared at the poor , poor, flaming ramen cup, what had it done to deserve this!

"The ramen cup! Kagome.. how could you?!", but before any reaction of mourning over the loss of the ramen cup could happen with Mrs. Higurashi, the ramen cup was forgotten in light of the fact that she had just realized how very cute her house was.

Jii-chan proceeded to, now out of his stupor, do the rational thing and put out the fire.

Inuyasha arrived in the room just as the fire was finally stamped out.

"eh? Did something attack?"

"Just the ramen."

"…what?"

"Nothing Inuyasha, alright, Mom, Jii-chan, listen up. If your gonna go with me to the feudal era, there are a few things you need to know, alright?"

Both wanting to go see Kagome's era, Jii-chan and Mrs. Higurashi snapped to attention.

"Alright, number one, there are demons, and no indoor plumbing. Stick by me and Inuyasha at _all_ times."

"Alright."

"Number two, do _not_ talk to _anyone_ unless I first give you the okay."

"Okay"

"Number three," she stared straight at her mother, "Do _not_ run off after _anything_ , even if it is incredibly cute."

"bu…but."

"NO."

"..alright"

"Number four, "this time she directed her attention solely on Jii-chan, "there will be _no_ seal throwing whatsoever."

"Even if it's attacking us?"

"NONE!"

She stopped at that, trying to think of anything else they might need to know, "Inuyasha, you got anything else?"

Inuyasha thought for a moment, "hmm.. No grabbing whatever you think is cute, and no squealing, demons have sensitive ears ya' know."

"Okay."

"We'll, I guess that's it, do you remember them?"

"Yes."

"Good, well, Inuyasha, let's go."

Kagome scooped her mother up bridal style and made her way to the past, Jii-chan road on Inuyasha's back, much to his protests.

Right before Kagome made the jump into the past, she had yet another sliver of miko intuition, one that said this day was _not_ going to be fun.. not _dangerous, _just not fun.

~*~

"Oh Kagome! It's so bright and pretty here! Look Jii-chan, look, no buildings or anything! Look at the sky!", Mrs. Higurashi pointed at the sky.

It was raining, pouring even, the sky was gray and dim, and the four of them we're uncomfortable and wet.

"Kagome, the well looks different here, much newer, oh, to witness such history!", Jii-chan looked around in a daze, apparently not bothered at all by the rain, or the fact that a few very important people we're not where they we're supposed to be.

"Where are they! I told them to be here in thirty minutes!", Kagome really didn't look very happy.

Inuyasha laid a hand on her shoulder meekly, not wanting to be the one to receive that unhappiness. "Um… Kagome, it's not exactly very easy to keep exact time back here.."

Kagome stopped ranting, realization falling over. This was feudal Japan, there we're no clocks. And Souta, the little brat, was probably not even wearing a watch.

"..oh.."

"We need to get these humans out of the rain Kagome, the caves closer so why don't we go there till the storm passes over, then we can find your brother, I'm sure he's fine?"

Kagome nodded and scooped her mother up once again.

~*~

They we're barely halfway there when Kagome stopped abruptly. She smelt.. something.. _horrendous._ Out of the whole time she had been a hanyou, this had to be the worst smell she had smelt so far. 

Inuyasha stopped too, a low growl already emanating from his throat, he knew that smell.

"Inuyasha, what is that _awful_ smell?"

Inuyasha's growling stopped abruptly. Did she just say awful?

His body had to restrain itself from either laughing hysterically or doing the feudal equivalent of a victory dance.

"Yo, InuKuro, what the hell did you do to my woman?"

__

Oh.. hell..

Kagome knew that voice, knew it well, and, apparently, due to the great powers of inconveniency, it had chosen to show up _now_ of all times.

Alright, Pop Quiz Kagome. What do you do when you are taking your family to the past for the first time, you've lost your little brother, as well as your friends, and it's storming. Oh, and lets not forget, to make matters worse, a wolf demon who has a personal vendetta against your mate, mainly because this wolf demon happens to, for some reason think you're _his _woman, shows up for no good reason at all.

She never had been good at tests.

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Authors Note________________________________________________________________________

Well, hello again. Yes, It took me a little longer, (two days) than I said, and I'm really sorry, but I've been pretty sick with a weird flu type thing, but I guess that really isn't a good excuse. I did make my 5,000 word promise. 5,372 to be exact. I'm not going to make any promises this time for when my next update will be, seeing as how I usually break them. I'll just say this, the more reviews I get, the sooner it will be.

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Random TBorTE fact: Mrs.Higurashi's character, in my version of her (which is pretty much nothing like the show, seeing as how she doesn't really have a major part in it anyway, and theres not a lot of character development for her), well, I based her off of.. MY mother. Yep, she's exactly like her, that's where the strange seriousness side of her came from. My mom acts like a complete idiot most of the time, but when it really counts she can be serious.

Makina Kitsune: Sumimasen is just a polite way of saying I'm sorry, and you don't have to be in the contest if you don't want to. ^_^

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Sailor Saturn: Don't give up on me yet, I've made a promise to myself to finish this story. And sorry if you didn't like this chapter, by your review I guess you like comedy, and this chapter had a few serious parts.. Thanks for waiting on me though, I'm glad you didn't give up!

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Vold: I think you have a like, guaranteed spot on my favorite reviewers page! And about the sitch thing, it's not entirely original, I heard something along the lines of calling when kagome sits inuyasha and he call's her a bitch something or another, but it wasn't sitch. I don't know, it's not so much like it, it just inspired it.It was a long time ago that I came across it, and I think it was in an episode summary on a website.. so I guess I didn't come up with it **all** on my own.. but.. pretty much, yeah. 

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Fanficfanatic: I don't know when, but I herebye solemly swear to read your fic whenever I get the time, it may be months, but I will! *glares at massive amount of crap she has to do*

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Sorensen: Yes yes, I'm overdue, I know. And no, you didn't miss/forget, this is Kouga's first appearance so far. And yes, I have went through a LOT of name changes, but I'm sticking with this one. Where did it come from? Well, actually, recently I got into fruits basket, and its ending theme song, the first line of it is translated as 'fun dinner/ pleasant evening mean/ fun supper' usually,it's fun dinner. Well, I think that is like the single crappiest lyrics for a song in the world… well.. *glares at the 'Donnas'* Unless you count _them_ who just sing the same word over and over again. Anyway, as I was saying, fun dinner, well, I couldn't just be fun dinner, nooooo, I had to be the **DEITY** of it, that way I'd get all the fun dinnerific powers. Actually, The Deity of Fun Dinner is also going to be/is a character in the manga I am creating/trying to create. And all of this inspired by a fruits basket song… of course, the CHARACTER the deity, is not me.. We're both the deity of fun dinner, but we're not the same, does that make since? Well, lets just say, in my manga, The deity is supposed to be a parody of every single shoujo character roled into one, in others words, she's ridiculously cute and acts like I've made Mrs.Higurashi act. But that's nothing like who **I** am, but I'm the deity too! And yes, I am aware what I've said makes totally no sense at all…

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Hanyou-girl25: Well, I'm still running into technical difficulties with the pictures, number one would be I am scanner less, and number two would be my brother spilt dr.pepper all over my sketch pad and now I have to redraw them all, but as soon as I get them done, I'll send them, it might be a month, but I will.

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Admiral Biatch: *glares at own craptastic month* Yep, I can understand that, I really haven't been having too much fun lately, which makes it hard to find the time to update, *glares at all active storys* ..especially update more than one of them… I finally get a complete update out on this, and now I have to go on to two other's tomorrow, and then ther'es even a NEW one I'm wanting to write. *glares at self* ugh.

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The glass of water/ Lyra Dogstar: I'm not sure how far I'm gonna go with Rin,I'm pretty sure I'll tell what she looks like in my epilogue though.

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Lord Agamus: Alright, that was 5000 words, so you owe be four dead telletubbies and one dead barney.

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Lady Night:Yes, I completely agree, anime characters _do_ have all the fun. Glad you like my new penname, and, rest assured, I have no problem at all with being called Heather-sama or Writer-sama! ^_^

Well, I guess that's about all, again, no promises with a new update, but review and it shall be soon.

Oh, and who noticed that I finally fixed my formatting? I FINALLY got the hang of it!

Also, if any of you would like an email, telling you whenever I update, just leave your email address in your review, and say you want to receive them. Thanks.

The Deity,

Heather


	42. Not My Woman

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Chapter: Not My Woman

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Kagome gulped. What was she supposed to do? Why did Kouga have to show up _now_ of all times?

"Kagome, who is that strange looking man in the fur mini skirt?", Jii-chan inquired, trying his best to keep from throwing a seal at it.

Kagome laughed nervously, "Um.. Um.. Kouga-Kun!", she waved at the wolf youkai still a few yards away.

Mrs.Higurashi cocked her head to the side, like a puzzled dog, Kouga-Kun? Wasn't that that boy Kagome had told her about that one time? That time she had had that big fight with Inuyasha? Oh yes, Kouga-Kun!

Mrs.Higurashi bowed, smiling brightly, "I'm so glad to finally meet you!"

Inuyasha growled in a manner far from friendly. "Get outa here ya' damn wolf!"

Kouga blatantly ignored Inuyasha, opting instead to sniff the air, his woman smelt funny. But, because of the storm, it was terribly hard to even _catch_ her scent , especially from so far away.

All he knew was that last time he checked, her hair was black. Not white. And she _didn't_ have ugly ass dog ears.* Or claws.. Or fangs.. And he'd never seen her wearing a kimono before… And who were those people she was with?

"What'd ya do to my woman dog face?!", He began advancing on the group, and was soon right in Inuyasha's face.

"She's not your fucking woman, wimpy wolf.", he held up a fist menacingly. He didn't want to get in a fight with Kagome's family here.. But.. If it was necessary..

Kagome stuck her self between the too, halting any violence before it had a chance to start. "Stop it you guys!"

Jii-chan tapped Mrs.Higurashi on the shoulder. "Who is that guy? And who's is he calling his woman?"

"Oh, that's Kouga-kun, the wolf demon Kagome told me about. He's in love with her, and thinks she's his woman!", Kagome's mom smiled, wishing she had some pop corn.

His woman? His woman? No one had the right to talk that way about _his_ grandaughter, except maybe Inuyasha.

With the anger accustomed to weird old men, Jii-chan shoved Inuyasha out of the way and stood before Kouga.

Now Inuyasha wasn't normally the type of person to be so easily shoved around by people, much less old fragile men, but he really wasn't expecting it. Actually, it took him a minute to figure out what happened. He looked at Kouga, then at where he had been standing, then at Kagome's grandfather, then at himself. He repeated the cycle once more, before, finally…

"..Oh.."

Kouga looked past Kagome to the old man, then did basically the same thing Inuyasha had done. Looked to himself, Inuyasha, and then to where Inuyasha _was._

At last, he came to the conclusion that there was an old man in front of him. 

  
He really wasn't sure whether to be confused, angry, or amused. He settled for confused.

Raising an eyebrow, he looked at Kagome, "Who the hell is that?"

Kagome turned around to see her grandfather, soaked in rain. God, she'd kill herself if he got sick because of this. "_That_ is my grandfather." , She grabbed hold of her mother's arm and pulled her beside her. "And this is my mother."

Kagome's mother? Grandfather? She had family? He'd always just assumed she was an orphan.

"and my brother is around here… somewhere.."

Kagome's mother smiled at the retarded wolf demon, "Hi! I've heard so much about you!", so what If she'd really heard next to nothing, she was Mrs.Higurashi! She could say whatever she wanted.

Jii-chan threw a seal at Kouga; Kouga caught it in his hand. Jii-chan looked like this wasn't something completely predictable.

"What!? How could it not work?!"

"Jii-chan! What did I tell you about seal throwing?!"

"Oh my god! He's got a tail! KAWAIIIIII!!!"

"Get the fuck outa' here wimpy wolf!"

"What'd ya do to my woman dog turd?!"

"She aint your woman!"

"Oh look! They're fighting over Kagome! How sweet!"

"How could my seals possibly not work?"

"SHUT UP!"

Everyone stopped talking (and/or yelling) and looked at Kagome, who gave the appearance of some one who was about to snap.

She glared at each one of them. "Inuyasha, be nice to Kouga-kun. Mom, I told you no screaming! Jii-chan, your seals never have, and never will, work. Kouga-Kun, I'm not your woman.", she breathed in to catch her breath.

Everyone stared at her untill Kouga, being the big freaking idiot that he was, talked again.

"I didn't know you had family."

"That's cause ya don't know any fucking thing about her ya damn idiot!", Inuyasha stood beside Kagome, wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

Kouga of course, being the completely stupid, ignorant person who's naivety actually made Houjo seem aware, didn't notice how Inuyasha was actually being nice to Kagome, had his arm around her, and there was yet to be any sittings.

"Who are you calling an idiot?"

"You!", Inuyasha smirked, "Or was I talking to fast? "

"Dog turd!"

"Wimpy wolf!"

"At least Kagome's _my_ wo-" Kouga stopped mid word and began to sniff the air incredulously. He followed this, to him very unpleasing, scent all the way (well, the whole foot) to Kagome. He began sniffing at her as if she had had magically turned into a monkey.

"um.. Kouga-Kun?"

"Get the hell away from her!!" Inuyasha shoved (more like punched) Kouga away, Kagome corresponded by kicking him in the shins.

Kouga took no notice of this, or perhaps had already forgotten it had happened. 

"Y.. Your.. Not my woman!" …and the whole world gasped in shock.

"Holy seven fucking hells! Your dog turd's woman!" ….and the world gasped again..

Inuyasha smirked triumphantly and pulled Kagome even closer to him, gloating. "That's right ya' shit-for brains idiot!* Mine!"

Kagome gave Inuyasha a look so dry one would be want to poke her face just to make sure it hadn't turned to sand.

Jii-chan joined Inuyasha, "That's right you transvestite! She's His!"

Kouga sniffed at the air, again, still in complete and utter disbelief. "And you're.. A… an inu hanyou!"

Kagome reached up and touched her ears to make sure they were still there. "Your.. Um.. Just now noticing?"

"What the hell has been going on since the last time I saw you!?", Kouga looked a tad bit faint.

Mrs.Higurashi stopped picking her bouquet of (wet) feudal wild flowers to look at Kouga. "They killed the big evil man too!"

The color drained from Kouga's face. "Y..You killed Naraku!?"  


For once, Inuyasha actually felt a tad bit of sympathy for the idiotic wolf, so great was his level of stupidity. 

  
Oh wait, that wasn't sympathy, that was still hate, and maybe, just maybe, a little big of surprise. "Well, yeah, didn't you know?"

"But.. But I was supposed to kill him!", Kouga collapsed to his knees, this whole situation was obviously more than his puny brain could handle.

"Um.. Kouga-Kun?"

Mrs.Higurashi abandoned her flowers and sunk to her knees beside Kouga. "Oh, the poor wittle wolfy! Kagome and Inuyasha've been mean to you haven't they? Shame on you two!"

Kouga's face just gained more despair. "F..First you take my shards, saying you fucking need them. Damn you Kagome! Damn you for using your womanly seductions to lure them away from me! And.. And then you take away my woman dog turd! My woman! But, as if that isn't bad enough, you go and take away my fucking vengence! I needed that vengence! And, and now.. Now there's a crazy lady hanging all over me!"

"Um.. Kouga-kun.. You just kind of.. Well.. _handed_ me your shards, saying that you wanted to be strong without the help of some 'damn jewel shard magic'.. remember?"

"Don't try to dress up the facts woman!", he sobbed.. Wait.. _sobbed?_ Was he.. Crying!?

Inuyasha absently kicked at Kouga, just for the hell of it. For some odd reason, so did Jii-chan.

Mrs.Higurashi lost interest in Kouga and began picking up her bouquet. "Look Kagome! Look at the pretty flowers I found here! They don't have em like this in my time! Look Kagome!"

Kagome nodded to her mother with a forced smile and ignored the fact, for her mother's sake, that the florist down the street had an abundance of those same flowers, and that her mother had actually purchased a great many of them from there . "That's.. Nice mom.."

"Kagome, shouldn't we go look for Souta now, the rain is making me cold.", Jii-chan shivered for emphasis.

"Um.. Kouga-kun?"

"Just go Kagome, just go, the pain in my heart… it burns like fire Kagome! You've made my heart burn! I can't bare to see you any more!"

"Umm…"

"Oh! The burning!"

"Well.. Alright.."

Kagome stepped over Kouga's form in the wet grass and began to make her way, with the others, to her cave.

  
Kouga watched them go, making a mental note to go find Ayame and confess his undying love for her.

~*~

"Oh Kagome! It's so lovely and gray! Beautiful Kagome! Absolutely lovely!"

Kagome gave her mother a sideways glance, "Um.. Mom.. That's a rock.." She pointed in front of them to her cave, "_That_ is my house.

Mrs.Higurashi ran up into it, "Oh it's even _more _wonderful!" , She waited a minute for the rest of them to catch up to her.

Jii-chan entered the cave and looked around, the entrance room was large, the wall's were covered in green moss, and the floor was smooth stone… if he were to draw on the smooth ground, and then went into the future and found the cave, then he would have made an ancient cave drawing! He was a part of history!

"It's nice Kagome… so.. So full of history!"

Mrs.Higurashi began to pet the moss, "Oh Kagome! It's so soft! Come feel Inuyasha!"

Inuyasha sweat dropped. "Um.. I've.. Um.. Already felt it! Yeah! That's it! I mean.. Yeah!"

Mrs. Higurashi began pointing at random spots in the room. "Oh look Kagome! We can put you a big pink rug here! And over here we can set a table! And there a book case!"

"Right mom, but first we have to _buy _the stuff. How about we go look at another room now?" Kagome disappeared around a corner and everyone followed her.

Mrs.Higurashi gazed at the room, which looked exactly like the last one. "Oh sweety! It's beautiful!"

"Um.. Actually mom, this one isn't too special.. How about we just go straight to a good one?"

  
Kagome lead them to a more unique room, skipping straight through the other's, only interrupted by Mrs.Higurashi's occasional 'enthusiasm'.

This particular one had a higher ceiling's and a much larger room than the others and the walls weren't quite as smooth. The rock dipped in at different intervals all along the walls, creating shelf-type things. 

Inuyasha spoke quick before Mrs.Higurashi could make some overly optimistic remark about this room. 

"Kagome says this is gonna be Sango and the bouzo's room."

Jii-chan ran his hand over one of the walls. "A monk living in a cave, the things historians don't know..", He shook his head in distaste, but then, brightened up significantly, "Maybe _I _can be a historian! After all, my granddaughter _lives_ in history!"

"Oh Inuyasha! You've given my daughter such a lovely home! I always new you'd take care of her!", Mrs.Higurashi spontaneously ran up and glomped Inuyasha.

The hanyou gave Kagome a pleading look, as her mother wouldn't let go of him.

"Um.. Come on mom, I'll show you _my_ room!"

~*~

"Wow Kagome! It Sparkles! Sparkly! Pretty! Lovely! Wonderful! A hot spring! Pink!", Mrs.Higurashi began to twirl around the room.

Kagome eyed her apprehensively, "Mom.. Why don't you stop that and come feel how warm the water is?"

"Weeeeeeeeeee! It drips like a waterfall Kagome! Like a waterfall!"

Jii-chan tapped at the quartz, "Pink quartz? I'm never heard of a cave like this before."

Inuyasha draped an arm around Kagome, noticing the way she looked like she could scream.. This was really taking a lot out of her.

Kagome plopped down on the ground and leaned her back up against the wall. "Inuyasha.. Won't the rain ever let up?"

Inuyasha only sat down beside her, trying his best to block out the strange dancing woman and the old man inspecting every square inch of the room…

This was going to be a long day…

****

A.N

_____________________________________________________________________________________*Kouga's opinion does not necessarily depict my own

____________________________________________________________________________________

*Inuyasha's opinion _does _reflect my own.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Yes, this chap was rather short.. Sorry about that, but It felt like I needed to leave it off there.. Well, sorry for the long wait for an update, and also for the short length…

Oh, and thank you all so incredibly much for giving me so many reviews. 872! Thanks! Keep them coming please! I'd like to have 1,000 before this fic is over.

Vold: Yeah, I wanted to give Mrs.Higurashi a serious moment, because, truth be told, I actually _do_ respect her character. It just seems like to me, all she wants is for her daughter to be happy.. And.. Well, you gotta respect her for that… Oh, and I know, wasn't that Miroku's loves thing total crap? It was.. Horrendous.. Thought I'd send you that link just for amusement.. Oh, and yes, Houjo was already in this story, I think it was in chapter 28.. And Sesshoumaru already congratulated Inuyasha for finding a mate, but I'll admit, that does seem like it happened ages ago.. And I'll bring him back into the story as soon as I think up a new adventure for him. Oh, and about the whole CN showing 1-36, AGAIN. Yeah, I know, that's basically why I gave up on Viz and have started downloading the eps subtitled off of kazaa. *glomps Kazaa* Kazaa, or any other p2p program is a must have for anyone who wants more anime than what they show on CN. Speaking of English dubs, I must warn you, and whoever else is reading this, No one, I repeat, no one, should watch the disgrace that is dubbed fruits basket. THEY KILLED MY BELOVED FRUITS BASKET! FB is my all time favorite anime.. And.. And they killed it! Talk about bad choice of voice actors.. Ugh.. I'm rambling.. Well, thanks for reviewing!

Hanyou-girl: Yeah, I can't believe it either. I've got them almost done now, should be about a another week or two though before I get to a scanner.

Lord Agamus: *throws power puff girls to lord agamas* here, kill the annoying little wenches. I hate them. I can't stand them. Damn magical girls. Kill them, painfully, now that we've done away with other random kid's show stars… KUKUKU soon.. Soon we shall take over all of kids programming! BWUAHAHHAHA KILL THEM! KILL THEM ALLL!

White tiger hanyou: Judging by this chapter, can you tell that I completely agree?

Lindy*girl: YAY, its always nice to get new readers! I just thought I'd say thanks for reading my story.

Kenkaya: Yay! Another new reviewer! Thanks for reviewing, and for the compliments! I hope this kouga confrontation wasn't disappointing.

Kaylana; That wasn't _too_ bad was it?

Michelle w: My mom IS pretty scary.

Ocrzyone: Thanks!

Well, Ja ne everyone! My next chap should be out… EVENTUALLY!! KUKUKUKU

(it should be in under 2 weeks if that makes you feel any better, but I'm gonna be pretty busy, there's this writing contest where the grand prize is 1,500 dollars, and I want to try and win it, so I'm gonna be busy perfecting a short story to enter for it)

Oh, and I think I've said it before, but, whenever your curious as to when I plan to update, my live journal usually has any plans I make, or if I'm working on it..ect.

www. deadjournal. com/users/fire_and_Sun

****

REVIEW!

The Deity,

Heather


	43. Cats Plus Water equals a Bad Combination

****

Chapter?: Cat + Water= Not a good combination

"Hey mom?" Kagome eyed her twirling mother disdainfully. She'd been twirling for about half an hour now, and it wasn't looking like she was planning on stopping anytime soon. Jii-chan had fallen asleep against the wall not long after first arriving, as he was, quote, 'A tired old man'. Inuyasha sat up against the wall beside Kagome, trying his best to block everything out.

Mrs.Higurashi continued twirling, she didn't seem to have heard her daughter. 

  
"Mom?" Kagome tried again.

Nothing.

Raising the volume of her voice just a little, she tried once more. "Mother?!"

Growing tired of this, Inuyasha rose from his spot beside Kagome and stomped over to Mrs.Higurashi. 

"Kagome's mom, Kagome wants you."

Mrs.Higurashi stopped immediately. "Hmm, what is it Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Kagome, you know, your daughter, she wants you."

"Oh! Why didn't she just say so?" With a slightly puzzled expression, Mrs.Higurashi skipped over to her daughter and sat down beside her. "Did you need something sweety?"

Trying her best not to scream in exasperation, Kagome formed a very forced smile that ended up just looking plain eerie. "Um, yeah Mom, the wedding party, it's on the next new moon right, that's only about a week away… well, I was wondering who all you've invited."

Mrs.Higrashi clasped her hands together girlishly, her eyes sparkling with unnatural stars. "Oh honey! Don't be silly, _I_ didn't invite anyone!"

Kagome and Inuyasha both began to feel an overwhelming dread. "Eh?"

"I let Souta handle it!"

And then they both felt overwhelming relief. After all, Souta knew better than anyone else who Kagome would and would not want at her party. Plus, Souta was by far the most sane.. Erm, reasonable, person currently residing within the Higurashi house.

"Thank Kami.."

"What was that sweety?" ,

"Um.." Before Kagome could think up any sort of excuse, Mrs.Higurashi interrupted her.

"Your little friends will be coming right? Kawaii Sango, Kawaii Miroku, and the cute little foxy boy, right?"

Instead of answering right away, Kagome's thoughts came to a screeching halt. There was one _very_ important thing they had failed to ask Kagura. She smacked herself on the head. _This_ was why Miroku was a valuable asset to the group. If _he_ would have went with them to get turned hanyou, he most certainly would have asked when his time of the month would be. Hell.

Inuyasha poked at Kagome. "You alright?" She sure didn't look it, what with the way her face was all contorted into some strange combination of embarrassment and terrible realization.

"I… don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know sweety? ", Mrs.Higurashi asked, puzzled.

"The new moon… Kagura… human… I'm such a.. ditz."

Alright, Kagome _wasn't_ alright. So what to do? Poke her again! " You're not making any fucking sense bitch!"

Kagome continued staring into space as if she were an idiot, only parting her lips slightly as an automatic reaction commanded her to. "..sit.." 

****

SMACK

Being slammed into hard rock, face first doesn't feel too nice. "What the hell was that for?!"

Mrs.Higurashi raked a fingertip across the pretty pink quartz, completely amazed.

Kagome shook her head, breaking free of her trance. "Inuyasha, I really am a complete ditz. I didn't ask Kagura to make them change on the new moon. I didn't even ask _when_ they change! Now I have no idea whether or not they're coming to our wedding party! They have too though! It's Sango and Miroku!"

  
Now free from the evil, evil stone floor, Inuyasha patted her on the back, "Umm.. Well, we'll find out sooner or later." No one ever accused him of having a way with words.

Mrs.Higurashi began humming an upbeat tune, oblivious to her surroundings.

Kagome cocked her head to the side, listening intently, _not_ to her mother's singing. "Inuyasha!… I think it stopped raining!"

  
~*~

Having finally herded everyone back out into the open air outside the cave, Kagome turned to her family.   
"Alright, remember the rules okay?"

Jii-chan and Mrs.Higurashi nodded.

"Um Kagome, they said they would last time.. But remember what happened with Kouga?"

Kagome looked at Inuyasha wide eyed, "Are you actually standing up for _Kouga_?"

"Hell no! I was just saying is all."

"Right…"

Jii-chan coughed not so subtly, "Just how do you plan to find Souta?"

Mrs.Higurashi laughed as if Jii-chan had said the funniest thing in the world, "With her doggy powers of course!"

~*~

Using their um, 'Doggy powers', Kagome and Inuyasha followed the scent of Souta and their friends until it lead them to… Kaede's.

Shrugging, they all entered the hut, only to be faced with Kaede grinding herbs, Miroku helping her, Kirara untransformed in Sango's lap, Souta and Shippo helping Kaede and Miroku, and Sango sitting so close to the fire that she might as well have been _in_ it, wrapped up in one of Kagome's towels and shivering.

Kagome raised an eyebrow at her brother, deciding that he was probably the sa- most reasonable person in this hut as well. 

Souta rolled his eyes. "Remember what happens when we let Buyo outside on rainy days?"

Kagome nodded, memory's of the cat dashing madly back inside in a torrent of claws forever etched into her mind.

Shippo looked up from his herb grinding, "And you know how Kirara doesn't ever seem to have any problem with the rain?"

"…Maybe this isn't quite the wisest topic of converstation..", intervened Miroku.

His suggestion fell on deaf ears.

Kagome nodded yet again, Shippo was right, Kirara never did seem to be phased by the rain.

Souta broke in once again, "Well, it seems that Sango-san is more closely related to Buyo than Kirara."

Sango scowled at everyone, "The rain was… it was all icky!"

Inuyasha tried his best to retain a quizzical expression, rather than bursting out laughing. "..icky?"

"Yes! Icky! Disgusting! Gross! Rainy! Wet! Icky!" She wringed out her tail, grimacing as her finger tips came into contact with the dampness . 

"..Sango-chan…" Not knowing what else to say, Kagome racked her brain for some change of topic.

"Kagome, is this your family?" Kaede paused her herb grinding (gasp!) and stood up.

"Oh yeah!, My family, Mom, Jii-chan, this is Kaede, she's the first person I talked to after falling into the well!"

Jii-chan bowed, thoughts of how beautiful and historical Kaede was running through his head, "It's so nice to finally meet you." And what beautiful clothes she wore! Those were the traditional miko robes! A miko, his granddaughter was friends with a feudal miko! 

"It's nice to meet you too, I've heard so much about you from Kagome. She's always asking me for some random relic to take back to you. She says you rather enjoy history."

"Oh yes! Yes I do! And what a fine piece of history you are! I mean, no, wait, the miko robes, history, right!", Underneath all the folds of old man skin-wrinkles, Jii-chan was blushing.

Kaede gave him a funny look, but said nothing. Kagome had told her , her grandfather was a little odd…

"And you must be Kagome's mother, correct?"

"Why yes! Yes I am! Oh, it's so very, very lovely to finally meet you! So very lovely!", Mrs.Higurashi spontaneously glomped Kaede, "I just want to tell you how thankful I am that you were here for my daughter! It just makes me so happy to know that she was taken care of all the times I couldn't take care of her myself! Thank you so much! You're just such a great person!"

Backing away from Mrs.Higurashi slowly, Kaede tried her best to mirror Mrs.Higurashi's humongous smile. She couldn't, it hurt to bad. She'd been warned by Kagome's little brother that his mother was a tad bit… insane, but she had know idea it was like.. This. It was amazing, that Kagome had came from _these _people. Yes, they were kind hearted and nice people, but they weren't exactly 'save the world with demon companion five hundred years in the past' material. 

"Souta made his way over to stand beside his sister. "What took you guys so long anyway?"

Kagome nodded towards Jii-chan, "He likes rain just about as much as Sango-chan."

The old man struck a dignified pose, smiling heroically at Kaede. "Rain? I'm tough! Strong! Powerful! I can't be stopped by such things as rain! I laugh at rain! Ha ha ha ha Ha ~~AAK", Jii-chan's sentence died off into a fit of coughs.

"Miroku, throw me that bottle of red herbs to your right.", Kaede pointed out the bottle of red herbs, amongst all the other red herb bottles.

Herb bottle now acquired, she removed a pinch of the red herbness inside and handed it over to Jii-chan, 

"Here swallow this and it should help that cough out a little."

"Thank you so very much! Oh, what a kind and beautiful soul you have! Oh what a nice, wonderful person you are." Jii-chan bowed deeply.

Miroku looked up from the herb he was grinding. "Kaede-sama, you're Yukata isn't missing is it?" He grinned mischievously. "Kagome's grandfather could help you find it, I'm sure."

"I don't wear a Yukata."

The pervert eyed her strangely, perhaps Kaede could have phrased that better, or maybe just called him a pervert, as the sentence was…

**__**

You don't think she means something by that do you? Kirara looked up at Sango.

**__**

Kirara-chan… you're a pervert.

"Kagome sweety, why is Kawaii Sango meowing?" Mrs.Higurashi, who had up until recently been amusing herself with how pretty Kaede's hut was, gave Sango a curious glance.

**__**

Kawaii… Sango? Kirara gave the cat equivalent of a taunting laugh.

**__**

I think she might be a tad bit out of it… Sango tried her best to stand up for Kagome's mother.

**__**

Hey, you're the one talking to a cat.

  
Shippo hopped over to Sango's shoulder. "Just be glad you didn't have to spend three days with her."

"Three days with who, Cutey Shippo-chan?" , Somehow, despite the fact that Shippo had been whispering in an almost inaudible youkai voice, Mrs.Higurashi managed to hear.

"Um.. The Evil Mistress Forlournity TorturinglyAwful Woman of Doom. She's just some random villain we fought a while back…"

"Oh! How very interesting! Tell me more!"

  
Actually feeling sorry for his adopted son, or, more likely just tired of Mrs.Higurashi's high pitched happy voice, Inuyasha cut short this potentially hazardous conversation. "Um.. You guys, since it had stopped raining, why don't we let Souta have a ride on Kirara now?"

**__**

I am not carrying around one human, five youkai, and two lunatics.

Sango really didn't think that was all too good an idea either. "Not everyone will fit on Kirara though." So she rephrased the remark so that it was more polite.

"You're right… Inuyasha, how about you and Miroku take Souta for a ride-ITIA!- And Shippo-chan! Shippo-chan too!", The kitsune released the pinching hold on her ear. "Me and Sango can give the rest of my family a tour of feudal Japan."

Sango stood up and grabbed her boomerang, her Yukata finally dry. "But are you sure you trust _Miroku_ with your own little brother?" Sango knew that if Kohaku were still alive, well, she sure wouldn't leave him in the care of Miroku, who knew what kind of things he could learn from the lecher.

"Oh! I'm sure Kawaii Miroku will treat my little boy just fine! Yes , Yes! He seems like the perfect role model for him!

Everyone, including Miroku, with the exception of Kagome's family, sweat dropped.

Kagome laughed nervously. "Well um.. Shall we go then?"

~*~

Outside the hut, Kagome turned to Inuyasha. "Take care of Souta for me, explain things to him like you would want to have explained in my time. Don't let him fall of Kirara, and don't let Miroku corrupt him too much…"

Inuyasha scowled slightly, remembering how Kagome hadn't done a very good job of explaining things to him today, regardless, he knew now was really not the time to argue, and all it would ever end in was a back ache on his part. "Alright, Alright, keep the boy alive and don't let him turn into a lech. Got it. When do ya want us back?"

"Um.. How about by sundown?"

"Okay, we'll be back by then."

"And bare in mind Inuyasha, how well you do with Souta will probably affect my decision on when to have kids...", that said, Kagome left to go round up her family, one member of which was talking to Kaede with a bright smile, the other mumbling to herself about how cute the flowers here were.

Right beside the entrance to the hut, Miroku and Sango were engaging in a 'similar' conversation.

****

Bonk

"Sango.. What was that for?", Miroku rubbed at the lump on his head.

"It's a warning. If you corrupt that boy _at all_, your gonna get a _lot_ more of those."

"Alright, Alright, you could have just _told_ me though."

" I did tell you, in the form of Hiraikotsu.", she explained casually.

"Sango-chan! Let's go!" Kagome waved the demon exterminator over.

With one last comment muttered so low Miroku could barely hear it, even _with_ his big fluffy dog ears, Sango left to Kagome.

"Protect Kagome's little brother…" 

  
Miroku smiled sadly as he watched her go, not for the first time realizing how much memories seeing Kagome with Souta was bringing Sango.

~*~

Kagome and company waved to Souta as he took off on Kirara with Miroku, Shippo and Inuyasha.

"Where are we going first?", Sango asked of Kagome.

"Umm.. I don't really know… I guess just a few of the places here that mean something important to us. How about that?"

Sango nodded. "Well, then let's get going."

"Kagome.. I think.. I'll stay here and help Kaede-san with her herb grinding…"

Kagome turned to stare at her grandfather. "What?!"

Kaede echoed her inquiry with equal disbelief, of course, hers also had a tinge of dread in it too.

"I just thought she might need some help is all. Her beautiful, delicate hands do not need to work alone. It would be rude of me to leave such a historica-um.. Wonderful person alone while we go out on a tour of feudal Japan!"

"No, no it's quite alright. These hands aren't delicate at all, they're just old and coarse from the ravages of old age. They're quite ugly hands really. And I'm not wonderful, or historical for that matter, really, I'm just as newfangled as um.. Kagome!", Kaede assured, laughing rather nervously.

"Oh, but you are so modest! I insist on staying!"

Kagome and Sango exchanged a look, and, if Mrs.Higurashi weren't so interested in the 'beautiful blue sky' she would have exchanged one too.

"Um, if it's alright with Kaede, than I guess its fine." Behind Jii-chan, Kaede was waving her hands frantically and shaking her head no. Kagome ignored this, after all, this way she'd have one less lunatic on her hands. "Great, well then, we'll be going now. We should be back around sunset."

With a defeated sigh, Kaede saw them off, whilst Jii-chan grinned broadly and ranted about how historical/beautiful she was.

~*~

"Oh Kagome! What a lovely, beautiful tree! But.. Hmm.. I can't quite place it.. But something about it seems very familiar." Mrs.Higurashi glomped onto the tree.

Sango looked at her dubiously, then looked to Kagome for some sort of explanation for the strange woman's acts. Kagome only shrugged.

"Well Mom, this is the tree Inuyasha was pinned to for fifty years. The reason it looks so familiar is that you see it every day, it's lived into present day."

"How fascinating! How lovely!"

Kagome placed her hand on the tree, a flood of memories coming back. It seemed like so long ago, that she had fallen through the well and saw the dog eared boy on the tree.

"This.. This is where I first met Inuyasha.", she smiled gently. *AN*. Kami, for all the times she had passed this tree, never had she felt so strange just looking at it. Never had she stopped and thought about how significant it was. 

"Kagome?" Sango tapped her friend on the shoulder. "Are you alright?"

"Hm? Oh, just thinking is all." She turned to her mother (who was still glomping the tree). "Hey Mom, when I first met Inuyasha, he was pinned up on this tree, you know what the first thing I did was?"

Mrs.Higurashi released the tree, looking interested. "Tweak his ears?"

Kagome giggled "Yep!"

"Does _he_ know that?" Sango smiled at the thought of Inuyasha's ears being tweaked without his knowing. Back before she didn't even know he existed… back before she met Miroku… Back when her family lived and Kohaku was a happy little boy who would never hurt a fly. 

"Hey Kagome… I think I know where we should go next…"

~*~

Aboard the flying cat demon Kirara, Souta was having the time of his life.

"This is better than a roller coaster!", he laughed, gazing down at the ground so far below. "Except a little scarier…"

"Role-er Coest-er?", Miroku tried his best to mimic the way Souta had said the word.

"Roller Coaster.", Corrected Inuyasha, having already had the same mistake the first time he had heard Souta mention one.

"It's a ride at an amusement park.", Souta explained.

"Amusement park?" Someone should really remind Souta that he's dealing with a monk from 500 years in the past.

Souta looked at the two (not easy to do from on top of a flying feline youkai), for the first time realizing how much time his sister must spend a day just explaining simple things to her friends. "It's a park with lots of things in it that people use to amuse themselves."

Miroku eyed the boys back dryly. "I gathered." Amuse themselves? Just what kind of 'amusement' did he mean.. this 'Roller Coaster' it sounded kind of..

He stopped himself, memories of a certain boomerang and a certain warning flashing through his mind.

Shippo grinned at Souta, "So what'da'ya think of Kirara?"

"She's awesome! Sister has all the fun. I mean, she gets to spend time with demons and…", he eyed Miroku, failing to see what the cool aspect of a monk was…

"I used to have a whole in my hand that sucks things up!", Miroku supplied.

"Cool!"

"Hey Souta!", Inuyasha called over the wind, "Kagome's mom said that she let you pick the humans invited to our 'wedding party'. Who'd you invite?"

"Just her closest friends… and Houjo"

"Houjo?" Houjo sounded like a boys name. Why would a boy be invited to their wedding party.

"Oh, he's just some dense boy who's in love with Kagome, though she doesn't return his feelings. And, for some reason, he's completely oblivious to this.

"Kouga?", Miroku intervened.

"No, _Houjo_." Souta said the name slowly, assuming Miroku had misheard.

"You meant that boy we saw that time I went to 'skoool' with you?", Shippo asked, remembering the strange idiotic boy from Kagome's time that kind of reminded him of Kouga.

"Yeah, him."

"Oh, he really was an idiot."

"Why in hell did you invite some fucking human idiot who's fucking in love with fucking Kagome to our fucking wedding fucking party!?!". Inuyasha wasn't very happy.

Miroku whapped him on the head with his staff. "You should probably watch your language in front of Kagome's brother."

"..fucking lech.. What do you fucking know about being fucking wholesome.."

"Oh, don't worry Inuyasha, Souta told him she was married.", Souta informed.

"And that she has cancer!" Souta smiled brightly, proud of himself.

"…cancer?" Miroku raised an eyebrow, did this boy _always_ speak in future terms. Hm, well, actually, he probably did, considering he was from the future and all.

"What the hell is cancer?" In Inuyasha's mind, it had became some kind of great thing that attracted lots of guys.

"It's a disease that kills you, slowly, and painfully."

"…Oh.."

Miroku stared at the boy, confused. "Why did you tell him that?"

"Kill!? You probably jinxed her baka!" Obviously, this was the first time Shippo had heard of what this 'cancer' thing was.

Inuyasha patted Souta on the back, glad that Souta had managed to get it across to that Houjo guy that Kagome was off limits, granted, it was because she was dieing.. But… "Good job."

~*~

Far away from the boys, the girls were quite somber, having finally reached the destination Sango had taken them.

"Sango-chan…"

"You said places that meant something to us, Kagome… Higurashi-san, this is where I grew up… this is my village… where I lived before I began traveling with Kagome and everyone…" Sango bent down and placed some fresh flowers she had gathered on the way , onto her father's grave.

Mrs.Higurashi didn't appear to be her usual bubbly self. Kagome had told her the sad story of the young demon exterminator. She had always considered it to be one of the most tragic of all the tales she had heard of from the feudal era. "This is why you killed the big evil guy isn't it? "

"Naraku. Yes. He destroyed my life." She broke her sad gaze away from the grave of her father. "But, I suppose if he hadn't destroyed _that_ life, I wouldn't have this one."

"Do you mean that you would choose this life over the other? I don't mean to.." Kagome cut off her own sentence. That wasn't the right thing to say.

Sango smiled somewhat forlornly. "I wouldn't choose one over the other. I can't. We aren't meant to. Fate decides these things and we just have to accept what we get. Sometimes, what we get isn't exactly what we wanted. Sometimes, it seems like it's much worse and can only hurt us. But things are always changing, and we force our selves to accept what we've been handed. And then, one day, we realize that we don't 

__

just accept things anymore, but we've come to value what we've been handed just as much as we once did what was taken away.

Mrs.Higurashi nodded. The girl, though young, spoke with the wisdom of years of experience.

Still not finished, Sango continued. "But then… one must wander, will this too be taken away?" 

She clutched at the small bulge in her stomach, small, almost unsightly, but still there. It amazed her how fast her signs of pregnancy were showing. Though she knew it was simply because youkai pregnancy's were much shorter than humans. The baby inside her was growing, but she still felt unsettled. It had almost been taken away from her… surely this battle wasn't over.

"Sango-chan… it's getting late.. Why don't we fix up the graves a little then head back?"

~*~

Inuyasha, Miroku, and Shippo each cocked their heads to the side.

Miroku, still not accustomed to placing faint noises quite as well as _some_ people, looked to Inuyasha, "What is that _noise_?"

"What noise?" Souta asked, confused.

Shippo looked entirely taken aback. "Inuyasha… that noise.. That smell.. is that…"

Inuyasha's expression mirrored Shippo's. "Sesshoumaru!?" It sure smelt like him…

"Laughing hysterically?!", Shippo asked incredulously.

Souta glanced around nervously. "Who is Sesshoumaru?"

**__**

Oh I bet this is going to be fun as hell… Kirara smirked (well, she gave the feline equivalent of) and landed gracefully on the ground…

…Thus having the entire group come face to face with a (oh dear god that art in heaven!) hysterical, Sesshy, Rin atop his shoulders, squealing like Mrs.Higurashi.

Souta pointed at the laughing Sesshy, "Who is she?"

And then Souta was dangling in the air, a good 4 feet off the ground, being held by his collar by a no longer laughing (but still yet grinning) Sesshoumaru. "**He**. You meant **He.**"

Hmmm… Kagome probably wouldn't be ready to have kids if Inuyasha let his own brother kill Souta on the first time he had to watch him… "Hey! Put him down!"

Souta was sufficiently scared to death. What was this girl talking about? He? What did he mean by that? 

His eyes traveled lower, unable to meet those frightening (pink eye shadowed) eyes. And it was then that he noticed something. A lack of female anatomy. Oh… **_HE_**!

"Erm…. Oh, you must have thought I was talking about you! Oh, just a simple misunderstanding, I was talking about the girl on your shoulders! Who is _she?" _Souta prayed to all that was fun and yummy that the girl on top of his shoulders was, in fact, a girl.

"Half breed. Does this boy mean anything to you?" He sniffed at Souta. "It smells like your bitch."

"That's cause it's her brother!" Inuyasha grabbed Souta away from Sesshoumaru and sat him on the ground.

"She has family? I always just assumed she was an orphan."

"Why does everyone keep saying that!?"

"Hello! I'm Rin! Who are you?" Rin hopped off of Sesshy's shoulder and miraculously landed unharmed on her feet.

Souta brushed the dirt of his clothes. "My name's Souta."

Rin gestured towards Sesshoumaru. "This is my Sesshy-maru! He takes care of me! I wuvuv him!"

Sesshoumaru cleared his throat loudly, hoping to silence Rin. "What do_ you_ want half- breed?"

Shippo, braving the all powerful Sesshy-maru, came out from hiding. "We came to see who was laughing hysterically, and why."

Sesshoumaru was… blushing!? "Um.. Oh.. That… That wasn't me."

"Yes it was.", Miroku eyed the effeminate male strangely. "We saw you."

"No you didn't."

Inuyasha shook his head as if his brother was retarded. "Yes we did."

Souta hid behind Inuyasha, not daring to oppose the one they called Sesshy.

Sesshoumaru accidentally looked at Miroku, which, up until then, he had been not so subtly avoiding . And then he started laughing hysterically once again. And then Rin started squealing once again.

"Kawaii!"

It was at this point that Miroku remembered the big, fluffy things protruding from his head. "…hell…"

"Damn you monk! You're making me laugh! I haven't laughed in.." Sesshoumaru stopped as he did some mental calculation. "Sixty seven years! And that laugh was half evil! Damn you! You've ruined my image!"

"How do you think _I_ feel!? I've got fluffy things on my head?!"

Sesshoumaru stopped laughing and petted his tail/boa/hairball/overgrown underarm hari/thing. "No! Do not slander the fluffiness. It isn't the fluffiness that is embarrassing. It is the curliness. Fluffiness is fine as long as it is used properly." That said, Sesshoumaru scooped up Rin and was on his merry way, leaving four gaping males behind him.

"Inu-no-onii-chan? Who was that?"

"…my half brother.."

"Oh.."

Shippo perched on Souta's shoulder. "That.. Was strange.."

Miroku had hopped back on Kirara, sulking.

And Kirara was content, this _had_ been fun.

~*~

"Oh, Kaede-san, do you need help with that herb?" Jii-chan reached over, clasping her hands in his own. "The one in... this hand?"

Kaede gave him the same glare she had given Miroku on the night he had woke her from her herbly dreams. "No. I think I can manage."

"Oh.. But.. Are you sure? You're antique, historical hands should remain in mint condition!" Jii-chan sure did know how to sweep a woman off her feet.

"Actually, I need help with that one. Over there. Far away from me. Go grind _it._ Over there. Far away from me."

"But my antiquely Kaede-san, I would be too far away from your aged presence! Can you imagine Kaede-san.. In my time.. You're dead! Oh so historical you are!" Again with the sweeping off of the feet…

Kaede nodded curtly, her eyes in mere slits, this time not just because her skin was so loose and wrinkly that it fell down over half her eyes. "I can imagine. You know what? I'm actually so 'aged' as it is, that maybe, if we're both lucky, I might die right here."

Before any dieing could take place, Kagome and the girls bursted through the door. "Jii-chan, have you been nice to Kaede?"

"Oh, what kind of evil person would be mean to a person so historical as Kaede-san?"

Kaede glared at the old man, then quickly turned her gaze to Mrs.Higurashi, smiling.

"Did you have fun with the girls? Did Kagome point out any herbs?"

"No, but she did point out lots of pretty flowers! But I'm sure the herbs are absolutely lovely too!"

Sango muttered to Kagome so low only Kagome could hear. "You didn't point out _any_ flowers."

Kagome shrugged. "I know."

Just then, Inuyasha and the boys came to the scene.

"Hey Souta, you have fun?" Kagome grinned at her little brother.

"Yep!"

"Did you get into any trouble?"

Souta hesitated a moment, taking note of the two adult males shaking their heads frantically. "Um.. No?"

"Good."

"Well, Jii-chan, I can tell you're probably getting tired, and Mom, I know you wouldn't want to tire Jii-chan. So, Inuyasha, why don't you take my family home? We have to go shopping tomorrow, so I figure we should just stay the night there. I have a few things I need to sort out before I leave, so why don't you go on and I'll be there in a little while?"

"But I'm not tired at all Kagome!" Jii-chan scooted closer to Kaede.

"Of course you are!.. Ha ha ha, surely you jest jii-chan! You're just a tired old man!"

Kaede mouthed a silent thank you in Kagome's direction.

"Of course I wouldn't want to tire Jii-chan! We should leave right away!"

Inuyasha shot Kagome a pleading look. Why did _he_ get stuck with Kagome's family?

Shippo leaped onto Mrs.Higurashi's shoulder, using his ultra cute face. "Kagome's mom? Can Souta stay the night here? Kagome can take him back after she gets back from shopping tomorrow. Please?" 

Shippo had came to be friends with the Souta, after all, he didn't exactly get to play with a lot of kids his own age.

Mrs.Higurashi smiled, how else, Brightly! "Of course he can… tomorrow is a school day.. But.. I'm sure Jii-chan can think up an excuse!"

"Thanks Mom, I'll see you tomorrow then." Souta was happy, he had came to like Kagome's friends from the past, they were much cooler than those kids she used to hang out with in the present time.

"Well! I guess we'll be going now! It was lovely meeting you all! I hope to see you sometime soon!"

"Yes, nice meeting you too.", Kaede waved as Mrs. Higurashi was led out the door by a grumbling Inuyasha.

"Good bye, my lovely antique." Jii-chan kissed Kaede's hand and followed Inuyasha.

After they were gone, Kaede shuddered violently.

~*~

"So, Sango-chan, Miroku, is there anything specifically you want for your house?"

"Um.. We aren't exactly familiar with future things…" reminded Sango.

"If it weren't for the fact that Sango has a tail, we would go with you… despite the forest fires… Why don't you just buy whatever you think we would like?" suggested Miroku.

"Get candy! Lots of candy Kagome!" And that pretty much summed up all Shippo could ever ask for.

Kagome nodded. "Well, I'll try… I guess I should go now, before Inuyasha does something stupid… care to see me off Souta?" She looked questioningly to her little brother beside her.

"You mean… I'd have to walk back.. On my own.. In the dark.. With youkai everywhere…"

"No, Kirara can go with us, she'll take you back."

"Sure!"

~*~

"So.. Souta.. What do you think of my friends? My life here…", Kagome glanced around at her surroundings easily, taking note of the fact that Souta was probably having a lot of trouble just seeing the path ahead of himself.

"Inuyasha's great… I'm really glad you're with him… I never imagined you'd end up with a demon from Fuedal Japan… But.. I'm really happy everything has worked out. I'm glad you didn't end up with some idiot like Houjo." He petted the cat demon in his arms. "And Kirara's awesome, I mean, I have to say I'm pretty jealous that you get to ride around on a giant cat demon. Miroku-san is funny, and Sango-san is really nice… Kaede seemed grandmotherly, I liked her.. Though her herb grinding was a little odd… "

"Yeah.. That is kind of weird.."

Souta kept his eyes on the ground. "You know… I used to be so jealous of you. The way you got to skip school and go spend time fighting demons… saving the world. I mean, talk about sibling rivalry. Most brothers and sisters try to out do each other, but I never even had a chance. How can anyone compete with saving the world? And I used to think that you didn't care about us… why else would you be leaving every chance you got, in favor of risking your life?"

"Souta.."

  
"Don't worry sis, I said _used_ to. I've grown up a lot since you first fell in the well. I know you were only doing what you had to. And now you're only doing what makes you happy. There's nothing wrong with that… It's the same as if you got married and moved away… you just happened to have moved _very_ far away. I'm not sad, or jealous anymore.. I'm just happy for you…"

Kagome smiled at her little brother. "Thanks Souta… I really did miss you all a lot…"

Souta grinned mischievously. "Hey, it's not like there aren't a few perks to being the brother of a time traveling hanyou. How many other kids my age can honestly say that they've been in the past and ridden on a demon? I had fun today. I like visiting your time. Shippo's a lot cooler than all the kids at school."

"So where all did Inuyasha take you?"

Souta delayed his answer, considering whether or not he should tell his sister about the girly guy. "We did meet up with some guy who looked like a girl, named 'Sesshy'."

Kagome stopped in her tracks. "You did _what!?"_

"We were on Kirara and then everyone heard hysterical laughter, so we landed and there was some weird guy, who I thought was a girl… he doesn't like it when you mistake him for a girl.."

"What happened?!"

"Oh, he just dangled me a few feet off the ground. I really thought he was gonna kill me. But then he said something about Inuyasha's bitch, which I guess meant you, and Inuyasha grabbed me away."

Kagome smacked him upside the head. "Watch your mouth. You've been hanging around Inuyasha too much."

"Oh, so _you _can go in the past and do kami knows what, but _I_ can't even say a few little curse words?"

"Hey, you said it yourself, I'm saving the world."

"The worlds already been saved, now your just here going into heat and stuff."

"What!? Who told you that!? It was Shippo wasn't it!?"

Souta smirked. "Relax. It's not like it's unusual around _here_ is it? You're a demon right? It's normal."

"Easy for you to say." Kagome conveniently switched the subject, "So, who did you invite to my wedding party?"

"Eri-san, Yuka-san, and Ayumi-san."

"That's all? Thank Kami." Having arrived at the well, Kagome stood on the ledge, "Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow. Kirara, take him home after I leave."

"Bye Onee-chan!"

"Bye Souta!", Kagome jumped through the well and passed into the future… but not until after hearing Souta's taunting yell.

"Oh, I almost forgot, I invited Houjo-kun too!"

Souta… That little brat.

~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~**~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
*… heh…the line about smiling gently.. It's a fruits basket inside joke thing that isn't really an inside joke at all, and I'm the only one who will get…

*~**~*~**~*~*~**~*~**~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~**~*~*~**~*~*~**~*~*~*

A.N*

Heh.. Took a while for this to get out, ne? Okay, I did have a big pretty A.N typed up, but for some reason, my computer killed it.. So, anyway, I'll do the whole Author talks to readers thing next time, kay?

I'll just say this, **_THANKS SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR REVIEWS!_**

I'm almost at 1,000... Thanks so much you guys,you just don't know what this means to me…

Now for three Author talks to reader things..

Sorenesen: *sends Imaginary rin*… happy?

Lord agamus: Yay! They're dead! Next murder victims… the intire cast of such disgraces to anime as Yu gi oh and Pokemon' Kill them. Kill them all.

Vold: As always, I've just got to think you for being such a great reveiwer! I would say more, but its 501 in the morning and I'm terribly sleepy..

Well, **_PLEASE REVIEW EVERYONE! _**

The Deity,

Heather


	44. Its important to remember, if nothing el...

Chapter 40-something or another: It's Important to remember, if nothing else, _what_ you are.

*********************

Miroku opened one eye sleepily. Something had woke him up. A steady thud from somewhere to his left. A knocking on the door? Who would be knocking on the door at this hour? Who would dare bother him right now? Didn't they know he was currently sleeping beside a beautiful woman? Granted, he couldn't be doing the normal things he would be doing when sleeping beside a beautiful woman, seeing as how there was a young child, two if you counted Shippo, also sleeping beside him.

"Would you get that already?" It was Shippo, apparently, the knocking had woke him up too.

Sighing, he drowsily stood up and sundered over to the door, he opened it to find a moderately nicely dressed man, more than likely some kind of high level servant to a prince or something, standing in front of him looking uncertain. 

"It's still dark outside… " At the man's confused face, he quickly masked his sleepiness with his monkliness. "Hello sir, whatever brings you here at such an _ungodly_ hour?"

The man began to shuffle around on his feet, obviously uncomfortable, perhaps because of the fangs that showed when the man he had been told was a monk spoke, or maybe it was the big fluffy dog ears.

"I… ehm.. Heard that a monk resided here with high spiritual powers…?" It sounded more like a question than a statement.

'Monk? What is he talking about? '_Oh wait, that would be me._.' Remembering that when people came looking for him, for his monkly gifts, it usually held a promise of money, he hastily changed his grimacing, squinting face to a bright (but wise) smile. 

"Oh, yes, I am the monk you have heard of, for what reason have you sought me out on this fine morning?" Odd, the morning had been 'ungodly' just a few seconds ago.

"Is it true that you can ward off even the most vile of demons?"

Miroku began to smile that cocky smile of his. "Why yes, yes it is."

"If what you speak is the truth, the Oji-sama kindly asks for your assistance in a dilemma we are in, with the promise of appropriate rewards."

Rewards! Oh sweet rewards. "There isn't by any chance a beautiful Princess-" He stopped himself immediately, remembering the 'beautiful woman' whose side he had been so slow to leave earlier. Who was currently carrying his child. Who had a big giant boomerang as well as the wrath that only a member of the female gender can bring. Who he loved.

"What was that Houshi-sama?" The man was beginning to take doubt in the houshi's monkliness.

"Oh, nothing. Anyway, I will humbly be at your assistance, just allow me a moment to get dressed and alert the other's of my leave."

"Others?" Other monks? Or other people with fangs…

"Yes, my um…" He briefly wondered what would be an appropriate title for Sango, they weren't _technically_ married, and by youkai standards, without the mark, they technically weren't mated. 

"My woman." Oh dear god, if Sango heard him say that… "And her best friends son and brother."

"Your… woman?" Of course, by that time, Miroku was already back inside.

~

"Sango, wake up."

"Ehm? Hoshma?"

What the hell was a Hoshma?, she always seemed to say it when he woke her up early. 

"Sorry for waking you, but I thought you might like to know that I'll be out today."

She was suddenly a lot more awake. "What? Where? You're leaving??"

"Yes, my assistance has been requested in a demon warding somewhere, apparently nearby."

  
"Demon warding? Why would they want you for that?"

"I **_am_ a** monk if you remember correctly, it's just been a while since my services have been asked for."

She eyed him suspiciously. "There aren't any 'poor helpless pretty princesses' involved, are there?"

He laughed a little too quickly. "Oh, of course not!"

And then Sango 'accidentally' rolled over onto Souta for no apparent reason. 

"Oh no!" She began in feigned regret, 'I appear to have woken up Souta on accident! How clumsy of me!"

When Souta continued to sleep peacefully, she began to 'accidentally' bonk him on the head with the tip of a conveniently placed abnormally large boomerang. "Oh dear, Miroku, my arm appears to be moving on it's own."

  
Miroku looked downright baffled. "Sango.. What are you-"

Finally, Souta began to open his eyes and look at Sango as if she were crazy. 

"What…Why are you hitting me."

Sango quickly hid the boomerang behind her back. Which really did no good considering the sheer size of the thing.

"W-Whatever are you talking about?"

"The boomerang, you know, the one looming four foot above your head that looks like it's about to fall on top of Miroku-san, you were hitting me with it."

Oh, _that_ boomerang. "Um… umm.. Well, as long as you're awake, Miroku is going to go do a demon warding today! How'd you like to go with him? I'm sure it'll be great fun!" Maybe a tad bit dangerous…

"Sango?" Miroku tried to interrupt.

"Demon…warding… I don't know that sister would want me off warding demons without her knowing…"

"Oh, don't be silly! She'd love it, I'm sure! It will make her ever so happy that you are beginning to adapt to this time, plus, you and Miroku can bond a little!"

"Um… okay.."

~*~ 

Dressed and outside, Miroku, with Souta at his side, greeted the servant. 

"We are ready, I hope it's no problem that I'm bringing along a guest."

The man looked at Souta with fear. "What…what are those strange clothes he is wearing? Is he some kind of fashion demon?"

Fashion.. Demon? Souta gave the man a dubious glance. "Um… no, I'm just your average young boy."….. From five hundred years in the future, but there was really no need to relate _that_.

"Well, shall we be off now, if we're lucky we'll be there by sunrise."

Souta looked at his watch, which, despite his sisters earlier assumption, he actually was wearing. It was three o'clock in the morning. **Three in the morning!** Sun rose around, what, six? That meant, if they were _lucky_ it would only take them three hours to get there. And he was guessing they didn't have cars here.

"We're… walking aren't we?"

"Why, of course, what else?" After all, the Oji-sama wouldn't very well just go lending out his horses to servants , monks, and little boys.

Miroku realized for the first time that walking for such a long period of time was probably a very new thing for Kagome's brother. It wouldn't be easy on him. After all, even he, as a human had often got tired of long walks like the such, it would probably be much harder on someone not used to it. Back when he had first joined Inuyasha and the group, Kagome usually rode on Inuyasha's back for the long distances, as she often got tired. This was usually achieved by a view bitches and a sit or two. If it wasn't bound to scare away the servant, he would have brought along Kirara.

Instead, he lifted Souta up and put the young boy on his back, feeling too much like Inuyasha, especially with his newly developed inu hanyou-ness, for his own liking.

~*~

"What the hell is this?" Inuyasha picked up one of the hundreds of small boxes containing small, cylindrical objects Kagome had placed in the 'shopping cart'. They'd only been shopping for about an hour now, but it was more than enough for him. "And why do we need so many of them!?"

Mrs.Higurashi came twirling towards the cart with another armful of them. "Batteries! Batteries Inuyasha! All of the modern conveniences you will be using must be battery powered!"

Kagome picked up a battery powered T.V and a battery powered DVD player, hey, at least now they'd be able to watch movies. She set them in the cart amongst all the masses of different kinds of rechargeable batteries. 

Jii-chan waltzed over with a battery powered microwave and toaster. "What was the name of this store again, Kagome?"

Kagome turned around from the battery powered refrigerator smiling. "'Battery Powered R Us'"

Jii-chan shook his head in wonderment. "Who knew such a store existed." Yes, who knew?

Kagome adjusted the kerchief she had on her head that was squishing her ears and making her mighty uncomfortable, feeling like she should be somewhere cleaning something. 

"Inuyasha, you see anything you think we should get?"

He gave her a dry look. "Oh yeah Kagome, I know exactly what everything in this store is."

"Oh…right."

"Wait, what about that 'V~iD~Eee~ooo Gayy~meh' thing Souta's always playing whenever I see him?"

"A video game system? That's a terrific idea! I'm sure Shippo would love it." 

Kagome approached a sells lady, who gave her a strange look, probably because of the white hair protruding from the kerchief. "May I help you?" 

This wasn't the first strange look Kagome had got today. Sure, she and Inuyasha both had their ears covered and she was wearing jeans and a t-shirt, but Inuyasha was still wearing his usual clothes, out of stubbornness, and of course, they both had long white hair. 

"Um, yes, where is your battery powered video game section?" She covered her hand over her mouth as she talked, trying to keep her fangs out of view. 

"Excuse me?"

"**Video Game Section.**"

"Excuse me ma'am? Maybe if you'd remove your hand from in front of your mouth…"

"Kagom-eeeh! I found it! I found it all by myself!" Inuyasha was quite proud of himself over this little accomplishment.

She smiled politely at the sells lady. "Never mind."

~

  
"Wow Inuyasha… you really _did_ find them." 

"Yeah, I did."

"…How?"

"I followed the scent! I remembered what Souta's smelt like.

Of course. "Oh."

She looked down the aisle as she detected a scent approaching that wasn't one of her family. A girl, maybe a year older than herself, but not out of high school, dressed in to put it simply, _bizarre_ clothes, with dyed bright rainbow colored hair and piercings galore, approached her.   
  
"Oh wow, love the hair!" She looked between Inuyasha and Kagome, "Cute, your going for the look-alike-lovers look right? Totally cool." Before Kagome had a chance to respond, she picked up one of Kagome's hands and began to inspect the long sharp fingernails. "Jeez, these look so real! Did you get them done professionally?"

Forgetting the fangs that resided within, Kagome had her mouth open in shock. "An..ano…"

Inuyasha's expression basically mirrored Kagome's. What was he supposed to do in this situation?

"Wow! Fangs! You must have butt loads of money to have gotten _them_ done! They look so real!"

"Ano…"

Inuyasha feh'ed. "Yeah, we got them profionally done, and we do have butt loads of money."

The girl looked at him strangely at the weird way he had pronounced 'professionally' as well as the deliberate and unfamiliar way he said 'butt load'.

"Gee, I wish I had that kind of money, I did this hair myself."

At last regaining the power of conversation, Kagome smiled friendlily. "Oh, really? It looks so nice. Me and my boyfriend considered getting ours dyed rainbow, but he changed his mind to white at the last minute." 

Kagome had heard of these kind of people, they dressed up strangely, trying to look almost anime-like, and walked the streets displaying their fashions on certain days. A lot of towns though had already outlawed this. Apparently the town in which 'Batteries R Us' was located had not. *(a/n: Aside from the 'Batteries R Us' bit, this is true, anyone else heard of the book 'Fruits'? )*

Inuyasha was about to ask Kagome if she had gone insane. Boyfriend? He was her mate! And they had never considered getting their hair dyed rainbow. What youkai in their right mind would do such a thing?! Of course, after a few of this berating in his mind, his denseness faded a moment and he realized she was just trying to play along.

"Oh yeah, my boyfriend is like that too, he never can make up his mind!" The girl laughed as if this were insanely funny and Kagome joined her in the way that females often do.

"Ah! I almost forgot! My name is Hisa! It's so nice to meet someone else with a unique fashion sense! The numbers of people like us are decreasing quickly with the outlaw of this type of art in so many towns." The girl, Hisa, bowed politely with a big grin.

"Um, yeah, it really is a shame… My name is Kagome, and this is Inuyasha."

"Inu-yasha? Dog… demon? Oh! It's a pseudonym right? Cool!"

"Um.. Yeah… a pseudonym."

  
Inuyasha was steadily growing bored. "Kagome what the hell is a pseu-"

  
Kagome quickly clamped a hand over his mouth. "He's a bit dense at times, but I love him anyway." She patted the top of his head as if he were a small child (or a dog).

Inuyasha growled. So she was calling him dense was she? And patting his head like he was some fucking pet.

"Hey you bi-"

"Sit." She murmured quiet enough so that only she and a certain hanyou could hear it.

Inuyasha fell to the floor. 

The girl eyed her with wide eyes. "Did he just…fall down for no reason?"

Kagome giggled a bit. "Oh, he's also terribly clumsy."

Hisa looked down at the fallen Hanyou, "Why isn't he getting up? He's not dead is he?" she kept staring at him… "Were those cracks in the floor there before?"

"Oh um.. Yes! He's fine, he just likes the ground is all…"

"Likes… the ground?"

"He's kind of strange I guess." Kagome laughed hysterically-- on the inside, of course.

"….Kind of.."

Released from the subduing smell, Inuyasha stomped off in search of Kagome's family, to tell on her for being so mean to him.

"Where is he going?"

"Who knows!, he's just weird like that, sometimes he leaves for no reason at all and I find him a few weeks later, hanging out at the pound."

"…Pound?"

"Oh yes! He's an animal lover if there ever was one!"

Shrugging off the strangeness, Hisa began looking at the many battery powered video games.

"'Batteries R Us' can you believe there is store out there that actually specializes in selling modern conveniences, battery powered? I mean, who knew!" Yes, who knew.

Kagome giggled. "Yes, it's so convenient, I mean, like, it'd be really convenient for someone who say, I don't know, fell into a well and was transported five hundred years back in time, met a lot of friends, three of which were demons, then fell in love with one of the three demons, defeated a big bad guy, turned demon herself, and now lived in the past because of how much she had grown to feel like she belonged there, and, as a result, still missed her modern conveniences so she wanted to get some battery powered ones."

"Oh wow! That'd be a great plot for an anime!"

~*~

Mrs.Higurashi felt of the large red rug embroidered with tiny floral designs in the furniture store, oddly enough, titled 'Furniture that is small enough to fit through a well R Us'

"Inuyasha, what do you think of this couch?" It was red and just small enough to fit through a well.

"Feh, it's fine." , he admitted from his spot sitting in a big red leather recliner that was just small enough to fit through a well. He was still sulking over the Hisa incident from earlier. " I want this chair."

"Alright Inuyasha, It'll match this couch at least."

Jii-chan pointed to a oak coffee table, that was just small enough to fit through a well. "What do you think of this one?"

"That's nice Jii-chan." Kagome inspected an entertainment center that was just big enough to hold the T.V, the dvd player, and the video game system, as well as fit through a well.

Jii-chan once again smiled in wonderment. "Who knew that they would ever so conveniently have a store dedicated to furniture that is just big enough to fit through a well?" Yes, who knew?

"Kagome! Let's go look at the beds ,alright?" Mrs.Higurashi called from the 'Beds that are just small enough to fit through a well' Section.

~

Two hours later, Kagome finished pointing out every single item they wanted to the sells boy. 

"And I'm assuming you want this delivered?" If the strange girl with the white hair was planning on bringing all the fifty something pieces of furniture home herself….

"Of course!" Mrs.Higurashi exclaimed exuberantly.

"It's going to cost you extra." He looked around at all the merchandise that was just big enough to fit through a well. "A _lot_ extra."

Kagome shrugged it off. "Oh, don't worry about money, we've got plenty of it."

Jii-chan began to sing a song about money and was soon joined by Mrs.Higurashi and Inuyasha, wait, did I say Inuyasha? I meant just Mrs.Higurashi. Sorry, my mistake, Inuyasha just stood there scowling at anything that moved.

"Alright, could you write down your address right here?" He handed Kagome a clipboard with a piece of paper on it. Kagome jotted down her address.

"Now, is there any specific place on your property that you'd like it delivered to?" Mr.Employee of 'Furniture just big enough to fit through a well' asked.

"Yes actually, could you put it as close to our wellhouse as possible?"

~*~

The rest of the day passed by uninterestingly enough, bedding, towels and the such we're purchased at a store called 'Bedding, Towels, and Other Household Goods Such as These that Are sure to Never Fade Even In Fuedal Conditions R Us', dishes, silver wear, and other cooking utensils were purchased at 'Cooking Utensils that Will Never Rust even in Fuedal Conditions R Us' (a sister store to Bedding, Towels, and Other Household Goods Such as These that Are sure to Never Fade Even In Fuedal Conditions R Us'). Other household goods were purchased at 'Other Household Goods You are sure to Have Forgotten R Us').

Now Kagome and the group were back home, exhausted from all the running around (well, Inuyasha was just terribly bored). Mrs.Higurashi had gone to the kitchen to start cooking supper, Jii-chan had gone to watch the people deliver the furniture that was just small enough to fit into a well.

Inuyasha and Kagome were up in her previous room, Kagome looking through her room for stuff she might like to add to her house, Inuyasha watching her from the bed.

"She's got two inside her. Can you tell?" Inuyasha inquired, nonchalantly from the bed.

Kagome pulled open a drawer to find it empty save a few school books she had forgotten to return to the school. 

Multitasking, she answered him with only half her attention. "What are you talking about Inuyasha?'

"Sango. She's got two. I thought you could tell."

"Two wha-" She slammed the drawer shut and jumped to her feet. "You mean… pups!? She's having two?"

"Yeah."

"Girls or Boys?" She was getting dangerously near the Mrs.Higurashi giddiness level.

"Keh, can't you even smell gender yet? You need to start paying more attention to scents. Girls."

"Ohh!! When did you find out?!" She practically squealed. 

He shrugged. "She just got far enough into pregnancy that I could tell yesterday."

"You knew yesterday and you didn't tell me!?"

"You made fun of me today!"

"Yeah, well you didn't know I was going to do that yesterday! Oh! I can't wait to tell her!"

"Feh. I don't know what the big deal is, it's not like they're yours."

Kagome went back to scouring her room for useful stuff. "I wonder what they're up to, back in the Fuedal Era…. I hope everything's going alright."

~~~~~~~~~~~*~*~*~*~*~*~The Exorcism Ordeal-Brought to you by Kaylana~*~*~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was standard warding; an ofuda against evil spirits and one to kill approaching youkai, one on each side of the door. The Ojii-sama looked on anxiously as Miroku slapped the spirit ward in place. 

"Will it be enough?"

"Of course," Miroku replied, "You can rest assured that I have protected your house from evil-"

Miroku froze as he put up the second ofuda. The hair on the back of his neck prickled, and the air was suddenly thick, making it hard to breathe. Power crackled from the ofuda, then there was fiery pain, starting in his hand and rapidly shooting through his body. Something pulled at him, a strong force ripping him out away from the house. Damn! The youkai-killing ofuda! He braced himself against the pain and hurriedly got out of range. The lord and Souta watched curiously as Miroku leaned heavily on his staff, shaking.

"...Houshi-sama?"

"Miroku-san?"

"It was deliberate," Miroku managed, "I was testing its quality." He forced whatever pitiful laugh he could get without worsening the throbbing in his head. "Well, now we know it works..."

~

Sango twitched her ears as two sets of footsteps approached. One was the rushed, nervous patter of the lord, and the other was a less steady, heavy gait. I minute or so later, the lord and Miroku opened the door. The lord looked satisfied, but Miroku looked exhausted, even through his crooked grin, Souta appeared a bit troubled. They bade each other goodnight, then slid shut the shoji. As soon as it was shut, Miroku sunk to the floor with a loud groan and sat, rubbing his temples, ears drooping. Souta jumped off the monks shoulders after figuring out Miroku had no intention of removing him himself.

"Houshi-sama, are you okay?" Sango asked worriedly.

"Kami you're brilliant," mewed Kirara, "Does he look okay?"

"Shut up," Sango scolded. Souta perked up.

"What'd the cat say?"

"You don't want to know," Sango assured him."

"If I ever," Miroku gasped as a reply, "**Ever** try to use an ofuda that looks like this..." he pulled a complicated-looking ofuda out of his robes. "...Slap me. Or kill me and save me alot of suffering," he sighed dramatically.

"He tried to use that?" Kirara guffawed, making strange wheezing noises that were probably laughter. "He's more of an idiot than I thought he was!"

"What'd she say?" Souta asked, curious.

"You don't want to know," Sango repeated. "Miroku, what does it do?"

"Kills youkai," Miroku said miserably.

Kirara burst out laughing. Sango sighed in exasperation. Shippou looked horrified.

"It was just recently that I turned hanyou!" protested Miroku.

"Are you gonna die?!" Shippou wanted to know.

"God, now the kit's being an idiot," Kirara commented, "Whose turn is it next? Souta's?"

"No,I won't die," Miroku replied, "but I might get halfway there. Sure feels like I am," he moaned, sliding the rest of the way to the floor and curling up in the fetal position.

"That was REALLY REALLY STUPID," Souta blurted out.

"Yup," Kirara sighed as started to look angry, "It's his turn."

"It's so routine that I didn't think about it," Miroku said defensively.

"Well I mean, even if it's routine, you'd sorta think you'd think about it before putting up something that might kill you or-"

"Souta!" Sango exclaimed.

"See?" Kirara said contentedly.

"What?" Souta protested innocently

"HE'S NOT FEELING GOOD AND YOU'RE SITTING HERE YELLING AT HIM!"

"...she yells," finished Kirara.

"Could you two please quiet down?" Miroku begged, clutching his ears to his head.

*****************~*~*~********~*~*~*~******************~*~*~*~*********************~*~*~

Japanese Vocab.

Ano: Well, um, uh, erm… ect. I really like this word.

Ojii-sama:Prince

*****************~*~*~* *********~*~*~*~***************~*~*~************~*~**~*********~

  
The Exorcism ordeal was brought to you by the ever spifferifacatastic Kaylana (Who Goes by the Pen name of the Same, Go check out some of her work, it's all great, especially the penguin story!), well, the second part of it was anyway, I wrote the part you see at the very beginning or the chapter. But she wrote the part where Miroku gets well… tortured. Yep she wrote it, and I built a chapter around it. Isn't she great?

Ah, so sorry for the wait. I know it's been a while. But I have excuses. First, I've been at my dad's. He doesn't have the internet for some reason. Actually, he does, but I use a cable modem to connect at home, and he uses modem. For some reason, after I got my computer back from having it sent off after it died, the modem port no longer works. I know… it sucks.

So, in order to go to the internet, I have to go to my dad's place of work. There, I use his computer, but seeing as how he only lets me go there about every three days or so, and only for about ten minutes each time… well, you understand.

Anyway, I've been working on building a website, I've been writing in another story, I've been doing lots of boring things.

I'm not sure when I'll be home, but it should be in about a week, so expect the next chapter to be in on time…. I hope. 

*sighs*

Ah, well, I'm sorry that I don't have the time to go do my writer/reader thing. Well, it's not that I don't have the time, it's just that without the internet, I can't access my reviews and respond to any. Sorry.

I'll just thank all of you as a whole, I'm almost at 1,000 reviews! This means so very much to me! Thank you all, so very, very much!!!

In honor of all of your reviews, EVERYONE gets Imaginary Hisas! *sends everyone an imaginary Hisa*

Please Review! Thank you.

The Internetless Deity,

-Heather-


	45. Kitsune of the forest, the great god of ...

Chapter?: Kitsune of the forest, the great god of love and the Future of Sandwichville.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~f~*~*~*~*l*~*~*~o~*~*~*~*~*~*o*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~g*~*~*~**~*a

"Inuyasha, would you just stop complaining already? It's really not that heavy." Kagome reprimanded as she carried an entertainment center that had been just big enough to fit through a well to her cave "I mean, it's not like you're a human."

"Keh! This Teee Veee is heavier than whatever the hell that is you're carrying." Inuyasha had been hauling furniture that was just big enough to fit through a well, battery powered modern conveniences, and other household goods all morning, not without complaints, of course.

"It's an entertainment center, the Tee Vee goes in it."

"I don't see why we just don't go get Sango and the monk to help us. Why do we have to do all this damn work ourselves? They are going to be using it too you know!" Inuyasha attempted to cross his hands over his chest and almost dropped the T.V in the process.

"Be careful with that. And I've already explained this to you, Sango is pregnant, with two, she doesn't need to be lugging around heavy things, and besides, I want to surprise them! " Kagome' s eyes began to gain a scary, translucent sparkly quality. "First, I can show them their beautiful new home! Then I can even go on and tell them that they're having two baby girls! Oh! I can't wait!"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "What about Shippo and your brother?! Why can't they help?"

"For one, it wouldn't be much of a surprise for Sango and Miroku if I just went in there and said 'Shippo and Souta, I want you to come help me with something that Sango and Miroku can't help with'. And further more, can you really imagine those two helping? Shippo would probably just get in the way, and Souta has never lifted anything heavier than a video game controller in his life."

"Keh."

"We're almost done anyway, just about um… ten or so more loads.."

"Ten!?"

~*~

"Ohhhhh the pain… the horrendous pain." Miroku wailed from a futon in the corner, as he had been doing since last night.

"Would you just shut up already!" And because of this, no one had gotten any sleep, leaving everyone a tad bit…

"Jeezus! It can't be that bad! You want me to kill you and put you out of your misery" irritable. 

**__**

'Did the future kid just threaten to kill Miroku? ' Kirara had found this all only too amusing.

****

'Can you really blame him?' Sango had pretty much given up on standing up for him.

"Oh, it buuuurrnnns. It buurrrns like all the fires of hell. Why is it that the curing miko Kaede would be gone at such a time!? Oh whyyyyy?"

Whilst Miroku was burning with all the fires of hell, a certain kitsune had turned himself into a mallet. A certain boy from the future was creeping up behind Miroku, wielding this kitsune-mallet.

Sango actually considered letting him go through with it, of course then those damn pregnancy hormones kicked in and she started feeling guilty. "Souta! No! You can't kill him!"

"I wasn't going to _kill_ him."

"We were just going to knock him out a bit." added the mallet.

Miroku began pointing his right hand at his face. "Oh why, why did I get rid of this blessed Kazaana? Perhaps, if it were still here, it would spare me my suffering and bring me to the blessed light of death."

Sango got up and yanked Miroku's hand away from his face. "Shut up, you did something stupid; it hurts. I figured you would have learned this process by now, but apparently you haven't came to terms with it. If you don't want to hurt, don't do stupid things. Stop complaining, we're all sleepy and I'm pregnant, you don't want to piss off a pregnant woman, _do you?_"

"I'm diii ~eeeing. Oh, I see the great light of the beyond, it beckons for me."

You're _not_ dieing. You got me pregnant and there is no way in hell you're gonna just leave me with a bastard child. You aren't dieing, you can't die, and even if you did, I'd kill you."

"Bu-"

"Kill you."

Souta and Shippo backed away from the scary pregnant lady, Miroku cowered into the futon and shut up, save a few occasional whimpering noises that sounded more than a little dog-like.

~*~

After finishing up taking everything to the cave, Kagome retrieved her mother and grandfather to help with the decorating.

Stupidly, Kagome had left her mother to do a whole room by herself. As a result, one room of the cave was now painted neon pink from floor to ceiling, little smiley faces painted on randomly. A shaggy pink rug, shaped like a flower laid in the middle of the floor. Countless vases full of flowers sat on small pink nightstands all around the room. A battery powered bubble maker sat on a large pink coffee table, there was also a battery powered fruit punch dispenser, a game of monopoly and two 'Care Bear' DVDs.

Mrs.Higurashi showed it to everyone else with pride, dubbing it 'The Happy Room', Kagome fainted, (from sheer happiness, as she later assured her mother), Jii-chan actually screamed and ran away, and Inuyasha reconsidered the benefits of suicide.

Mrs.Higurashi was no longer allowed to be left by herself. 

~*~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~

A strange, puke green, utterly unidentifiable thing crept up to Miroku. It waved it's little frog-like hands and hit him on the head with the staff it was holding.

"AH! It's the icky bumpy green thing of Hell! Get it away from me! It has come for the ramen! Save the Ramen, Sir Elephant! Remember, we must protect the ramen from the icky bumpy green thing of hell with our lives! Sir Peanut Butter! It's gaining on you!"

Sango, Souta, Shippo, and Kirara each slowly stopped what they were doing and turned their heads. Only to see a frantic Miroku pointing at nothing and calling over his shoulder for reinforcement.

Sango cocked an eyebrow. "Maybe… maybe he really _is_ dieing."

Miroku whipped his head in the direction of Sango's voice. "Oh beautiful Princess Sango! ! What are you doing out of Sir Fluffy's protection? Surely you would not risk your life for the people of Sandwichville! You can't! Your beauty is too great a sacrifice! And Sir Fluffy would surely be angry if you got your clothes dirty!" 

He flinched at an attack no one else could see. "Ahhg! You will die now, RiceBallGirlofEvil! Die!" He turned back to Sango., "There isn't much time! You must leave!"

Sango wasn't sure whether to laugh hysterically or cry over the loss of her mate's loss of sanity.

Kirara had no such problem, she had been laughing hysterically ever since Miroku mentioned Sir Peanut Butter.

Shippo began to poke at Miroku, as that seemed to be the only thing he knew how to do in strange situations. 

"Ahh! Kitsune Of The Forest! What is it that ails you, oh great god of love?"

"..e.rm…"

__

'god of love? Why god of love?' Sango asked Kirara, as if she would know, which she wouldn't. I mean, why would Kirara know of any reasons Shippo could be called the god of love?

**__**

'He's gone insane. Hey… what's up with future boy over there?'

Sango looked at future boy, who sat drawing on some parchment, as if everything was fine and dandy and right with the world, as if there wasn't a deranged monk fighting an imaginary battle over the future of Sandwichville in the same room with him.

"What?" The either highly oblivious or hard to phase future boy inquired, noticing the way everyone, except the monk making jabs with an invisible sword at an invisible enemy, was looking at him.

"Why… why… why does this not disturb you?" Sango finally managed to choke out in awe.

"Oh, him? Because he's just hallucinating, more than likely this is just some delusional side affect of the whole fried monk thing yesterday. Either that or he's gone insane, but I figure it's probably the former."

"Delusional?"

"Yeah, we learned about it at school. When someone is really sick, they can get delusional and have hallucinations…. Didn't you go to school? Oh.. Wait, never mind."  


"Oh." 

Shippo continued to poke at him, just for the hell of it.

"Oh! Fashion Demon of The Future! I need you're aid in this battle!

"Fashion Demon of the future?" Sango wondered where Miroku was coming up with all these names.

Souta rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed. "Um… that would be me."

Shippo suddenly got visions of Miroku and Souta playing a game of 'Defend Sandwichville', with Souta dressed, oddly enough, in Sesshoumaru's attire.

"The servant… um.. never mind. It's a long story." Souta began having flashbacks, of how the servant from yesterday had insisted on calling him 'Fashion Demon' for the whole trip.

**__**

'I really don't think I even want to know.'

Sango nodded to her fellow cat demon.

"Agh! Kitsune of the Forest! Fashion Demon of The Future! Ready yourselves! The marshmallows are coming! Save Princess Sango and her cat demon lover!"

Kirara looked at Sango as distastefully as her feline face could muster. **_'He did not just call me your lover.'_**

Sango's eyes shown with nothing more than the vengeance of one who has finally had enough. She grabbed Shippo and whacked Miroku on the head with the poor Kitsune, momentarily forgetting Shippo was still in Shippo form, and no longer a mallet. 

Sango, ever so calmly, walked away from the two unconscious youkai and laid down on her futon. "Good night Souta."

Souta thanked the gods for the peace and quiet and didn't even mention to Sango that it wasn't anywhere near being night time.

For the first time in a long while, Kirara slept far, far away from Sango.

~*~

Kagome did a quick survey of all the rooms, making sure there was nothing left to be done.

For some 'unknown' reason, she 'accidentally' skipped 'The Happy Room'.

"Well, It looks like we're about all done now!"

Inuyasha sat in his big red leather chair, the only thing he had picked out, of all the hundreds of things they bought. "Finally."

Mrs. Higurashi wasn't so sure. "But sweety! I think we should add some more flowers to 'The Happy Room'!"

Jii-chan began to tremble. There was no way in hell he was going back into the evil room. All that pink….

"Heh heh , heh, Mother, haha… It's perfect just the way it is!" Kagome assured, nervously.

"What's perfect?" Mrs.Higurashi asked, already having forgotten what they were talking about. "Ohh! I just can't wait to see Kawaii Sango, Kawaii Miroku, and the Cutie foxie!"

~*~ 

Kagome led her grandfather through the dark streets, while Inuyasha just _watched_ Mrs.Higurashi stumble occasionally. The time sure had gotten away from them, but they had got an almost impossible amount of work done in one day (…heh).

"Inuyasha, my mother's a human! It's hard for her to see In the dark! You're supposed to be _helping _her, not watching her in amusement!"

"Oh sweety! It's fine! I rather enjoy falling and hitting my head on rocks! It makes me feel one with nature!"

Arriving at the hut, Kagome pushed the flap aside and walked into the dark room, at first unnoticing the sleeping figures on the floor.

"Um… anyone here?"

Mrs.Higurashi bounded in happily and tripped over something in the floor, falling on top of it. The something growled. 

"Oh! It's Kawaii Sango! What are you guys doing asleepy? It's only-" Mrs.Higurashi looked at her wrist where her watch resided, still lying on top of Sango, "midnight!"

Sango sleepily opened her eyes. "Midnight? We've been asleep that long?" She tried to get up "Could you get off me?"

Mrs.Higurashi happily obliged and went to wake up Souta, falling down in the dark ever so often.

Seeing this, Kagome lit a candle.

Inuyasha nodded his head towards Miroku and Shippo. "What's wrong with those two? They don't smell asleep." He sniffed the air to make sure. "They smell knocked out."

"Still? Hmm.. Maybe I hit them a little too hard."

"Hit them? Demon! DEMON!" Jii-chan began throwing seals that had seemingly appeared in his grasp from nowhere, at Sango.

"Erm… could you stop that?" Sango removed a seal that had gotten stuck in her hair.

"What?! They do not work!?" And again, he was amazed by this. Short term memory loss, maybe?

"Souta sweety, honey, kiddie, baby! Mamma's here! Wakey Uppy!"

Souta sat up groggily, having been already woken up his mother's repeated crashing into the floor. 

"I can see that." He looked to his sister and Inuyasha. "So, what did you buy?"

  
Inuyasha suddenly looked excited. "I bought a red chair!"

"Alright… um.. That's not all you bought… right?"

Mrs.Higurashi struck her arms out, wide. "Nope! We bought this much!" She widened the amount of space between her arms.

"Okay…"

Finally a little more awake, and interested, Sango stood up and began to whap Miroku on the head, repeatedly. 

"Ah! What are you doing to Kawaii Miroku?"

"Demon DEMON!"

"I'm just trying to wake him up."

"..oh.." Jii-chan put down the arm that was about to throw a seal.

Kirara began to paw at Shippo, trying to wake him up.

Kagome sniffed in the direction of Miroku, as if picking something up for the first time. "Um… why does he smell… burnt?"

Souta leapt up and went over to his sister, eager to tell the story. "Yesterday, me and Miroku-san went to a demon warding and--"

He was interrupted from a particularly fierce glare from Inuyasha. "He took you out to ward off a demon?"

"Well, actually.. Sango-san insisted I go."

Sango stopped whapping Miroku, in favor of laughing nervously and forming a large sweat drop.

"Um.. Why did you do that , Sango-chan?" Kagome wasn't quite as pissed as Inuyasha, but she wasn't exactly ecstatic either.

"I uh.. Erm.."

"Anyway! We we're going to ward a demon, and we walked for five hours! But Miroku-san carried me almost the whole way. When we got there, he started putting the monk-thingy up, and then there was this loud sizzling sound, it kind of sounded like when Mom fries bacon. And then he acted all nervous with the Ojii-sama and then we told Sango and he kept whining all night, so we didn't get any sleep, and then he started getting delusional and calling me a fashion demon of the future, and tried to save Sandwichville and called Kirara Sango-san's lover, then Sango knocked him out with Shippo." Souta was so good at explaining things thoroughly.

Inuyasha , Kagome and Jii-chan each looked at each other strangely (Mrs.Higurashi was looking at the oh-so-cute- floor). 

"What!?"

Sango gave Miroku one last whap and went over to the others. "Miroku was asked to do a demon warding yesterday. I was afraid there might be a princess or something there, so I sent Souta to watch over him. Miroku was so stupid that he actually used an ofuda that _kills_ demons, momentarily forgetting of course, that he too is a demon. He came back, in pain, as he pointed out many, _many_ times. He whined all night, resulting in us not getting any sleep, causing us to be a little on edge. Then he started getting delusional, and said some things that I'm sure he'll regret later. When he said something so stupid I'm not even going to repeat, I finally put him out of his misery by knocking him out. With Shippo.

For a minute, no one said anything.

"Damn, he's even stupider than I thought."

"…yeah…" Kagome had to agree with Inuyasha.

"Even _I_ know better than that." admitted Jii-chan.

"This floor is SOOOO CUTE!"

~*~

It was decided upon, after the failure to wake Shippo and Miroku, that they would go see the house in the morning. Mrs.Higurashi and Jii-chan were given futons, much to Jii-chan's happiness. How splendid, another chance to be a part of history. Kaede's hut was _very_ crowded that night.

-------------------------------A~u~t~h~o~r'~S~~~~N~o~t~e---------------------------------------------------

Hey! Fanfiction is working properly again! And farther more, I'm finally home! I just got home today! I'm so glad to be back...oh wondrous internet... Anyway, I've still got a lot going on right now, so the next chapter should be out by the 23...ish. Sorry for the wait. ****

I'm almost at 1,000 review you guys! I really can't believe it! Thank you all soo very ,very very ,very very ,very very ,very very ,very very ,very very much!

Last time I checked, I only had thirteen more to go! I'm so excited!

Thank you all for all your reviews, hopefully the next chapter will be out soon enough.

Please review! Hopefully I'll hit the 1,000 mark this time!

-Heather-


	46. To Dream

Chapter 50 something or another:: To Dream

~*~

Maybe it was the cool wind blowing in her hair, or perhaps the solitude. Or maybe, just maybe, it was the fact that she distinctly remembered falling asleep beside Inuyasha with an unconscious monk's foot almost touching her nose, in a crowded hut with all of her family. Whatever it was, something was telling her there was no logical reason for her to be completely alone at a replica of the bone eater's well, a bone eaters well from farther in the past than the 500 years she had traveled.

Maybe… she was dreaming? Yes, that would make sense, after all, the last thing she remembered was trying to fall asleep. Kagome nodded firmly, as if finalizing her theory. 

Ah, it was a rather boring dream though. Just sitting there, on a well. Jeez, how long had the well been around? It appeared old still, but all the trees around it in her and Inuyasha's time were missing, the few actually there merely seedlings. But wait, this was a dream, so it was all just figments of her imagination. Yes, what was she thinking?

She began humming an offbeat melody she had heard from somewhere, more than likely her mother, trying to pass the time, because, frankly, there didn't look like there was anything better to do. Odd, she never had such boring dreams, usually they consisted of getting into fights with youkai and the like, none were ever this… peaceful. Hey! Maybe it was like a sign or something, that she was finally at peace with herself and life in general!

She smiled, shoujo-esque thoughts about peace and harmony floating through her mind.

**__**

You just don't get it do you? She'll be the end of us all.

Now wait a second, that wasn't anywhere near peaceful or harmonic. In fact, she really didn't remember thinking that. Had someone else said it? Was there someone else here?

Kagome slowly levered herself off the well, a bit dazed in her subconscious, dreaming, state of mind. 

She did a sluggish three sixty, surveying the surrounding area. Nope, no one.

**__**

Released, and by you no less, but you still haven't figured it out.

Okay, she was sure _that_ didn't come from her. Sure, she had been known to talk to herself on occasion, but she usually didn't talk to herself in the third person!

**__**

Forever, always. Me. but no, you changed it all.

The voice… she'd never heard it before… but somehow it managed to still feel familiar. There was some part of her, some part still aware enough to understand that whoever this voice belonged to's words were important. She was sleepy, groggy, and had left her right mind back with her physical body, it was hard to concentrate, to retain this information. It certainly wasn't helping that the voice wasn't making any sense in the first place.

**__**

Again and again. Repeating. Cycles.

Knowing the effort to remember the words was next to futile, Kagome focused her attention instead on trying to determine the source of the voice.

**__**

Silly naive little reincarnated miko. Reincarnations, that's what it's all about isn't it? 

The well! The voice was coming from inside the well! Haphazardly she whirled back around to peer into the well, afraid that the voice might switch places if she gave it an extra second.

At first she saw nothing, just the familiar blackness of the wells depth. A vague wondering of where it would take her should she jump in crossed her mind, but she quickly shoved it away, trying to not let her thoughts wonder. 

For reasons she couldn't fathom, nor care about, the dark shadows of the well disappeared, replaced by light, allowing her to clearly see the bottom of the well.

A black raven sat in the center of the dirt bottom, something that looked more than a little like a human baby's umbilical cord clasped in it's beak.

**__**

I really am sorry. But I'm afraid it can't be helped.

With only a moment of dumbfounded hesitation, Kagome let out a shrill horrified scream and promptly faded into the land of reality.

~*~

Kagome blinked. She looked around the hut, her hanyou eyes giving her no trouble with the task. Her ears twitched as they picked up the sound of light foot steps, some miles off, her nose told her it was merely Kaede returning from the sick villager. She'd be in for a surprise when she got home.

It was still dark out, there was still a foot in her face that belonged to a monk-who had now transitioned from smelling unconscious to smelling asleep- and she was still being held securely in the arms of one Inuyasha. 

It was just a dream, of course. Granted, a disturbing dream but… well, what else could it be? It made no sense anyway.

It was strange though, she clearly remembered being afraid of not remembering anything from the dream, but even now, awake, she recollected every bit of it with ease… In the raven's mouth… had that been what she thought it was? And the apology… from the raven?

After a few more minutes of lecturing herself into believing that it actually was a dream that bore no relevance to her real life, Kagome closed her eyes, only to receive a vivid image of the raven with the umbilical cord in it's mouth.

Shuddering, she leaned into Inuyasha, hoping to find some comfort from the troubling dream in his warmth.

But just before sleep took her again, the daunting memory of thinking that perhaps the boring dream was a sign she was at peace with herself came back, taunting her. If the boring part of the dream was a sign that she had reached peace with her life… then what was the later part of the dream a sign of…?

She shivered again, despite how close she was to Inuyasha.

~*~

"Alrighty every lovely one of you! It's time to rise and shine and greet the **_beautiful_** new day!"

Kagome squinted in the harsh bright light of day at the insane woman she lovingly called 'mom'. Her mother had apparently thought that the hut needed more sunshine, as the flap had been pulled back, exposing the occupants of the hut to almost blinding brightness… the doorway had been a bit bigger since Inuyasha stuck the tree in it. Despite her eyes burning from the intense lightliness, she managed to recognize the form of Inuyasha, standing beside her mother. By the looks of him, he'd been awake a while, more than likely being forced to withstand her mother. 

"Ergh… ummm…" Miroku stood to his feet drunkenly, clutching at his head. "Wha… what happened… Is this heaven?" 

A boomerang came crashing down on his head, causing the fried monk to let out a yelp. Nope, this couldn't be heaven, heaven would not have giant boomerangs…. Or an insanely happy woman who had somehow managed to bring the sun inside the hut. At least, that's what it seemed like to Miroku. He was, after all, still very much in pain, and all his senses were feeling extra sensitive, after the whole 'How 'bout I electrocute myself to the point of near death!' incident.

Sango removed her boomerang from the monks head, feeling a slight of guilt. Never the less, she gave him a dry look. "How's Sandwichville getting along these days?"

Miroku looked at her as if she had gone insane.

Shippo hopped to his shoulder, somehow managing to be fully energetic and awake at once. " Ah, you don't remember do you?" Shippo realized he had a bit of a head ache. Then he realized that a large chunk of yesterday was missing from his mind. In fact… the last thing he remember was… "You tried to kill me!" He pointed an accusing finger at Sango.

The demon exterminator laughed nervously. 

Awakened not only by his mother, but by the rest of the noisy group as well, Souta stealthily slipped behind Inuyasha, hoping to remain unnoticed by the kitsune who was interrogating Sango.

"Hey, kid, what are doing back there?" Inuyasha never did catch on to things to quickly though…

Noting the new criminal, Shippo jumped to stand defiantly on Inuyasha's head. "And you were in on it too!"

"Hey! Get off there you fucking runt!" Inuyasha swatted in the general direction of the top of his head and ended up just hitting himself.

Kagome looked around the small hut. To her right, stood Miroku and Sango, Miroku looking incredibly confused as a angry demon exterminator ranted on about some strange thing she called Sandwichville, peanut butter, and something about her and Kirara that he didn't quiet catch. To her right, resided Shippo a top Inuyasha's head, dodging all of Inuyasha's attempts to catch him while Inuyasha let out strings upon strings of curses whilst Souta tried to stifle a laugh. Behind her, a closed door with the sound of loud snoring leaking through it. And in the middle of it all, Mrs.Higurashi stood, smiling ever so brightly, with an obviously unhappy Kirara clutched to her chest tightly.

All thoughts of the strange dream the night before vanished from her head as she took on the problem at hand. She cleared her throat loudly. Of course, no one heard her. Sighing, she went over to Inuyasha and pushed the unsuspecting hanyou with all her strength until he was back to back with Miroku.

"Hey, wench what are you-"

  
"Sit."

Inuyasha collapsed into Miroku, resulting in both of them plastered to the ground, Inuyasha on top, in a rather compromising position. Shippo still perched on Inuyasha's head, feeling very much like the victor of the situation.

"What the _fuck _did you do that for!?"

Now Inuyasha was angry, but at least he was used to it. Miroku had never been sat before. It really didn't feel good, but he had always assumed as much and the demonstration really wasn't necessary. Not only did his whole body ache from his previous act of stupidity, not to mention his head being in double pain as the effect of being knocked out with a kitsune, but now there was a guy on top of him who had just slammed him to the ground violently. Hmm, that really didn't sound right. Then again, it really didn't look right either.

"Owww… Kagome… why?" Believe it or not, Miroku actually found him self straining not to use the word 'wench'.

"Ah, just had to get your attention some how!"

~*~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~*~

After a bit of calm, rational explaining, and forced apologies, the group, save Jii-chan who had insisted on staying with Kaede and a still asleep at the hut Kirara, had arrived at the cave.

"Oh.. Kagome! I just can't wait to see it!" Little sparkles and stars suddenly began to show up behind Sango.

"Just wait till you see the happy room!" Mrs.Higurashi beamed with pride.

Miroku began to sense a terrible horror…

"..ha…ppy… room..?" Sango echoed slowly.

"Why yes! Happy room! It's lovely, isn't it Kagome? Isn't it? I designed it, after all! Kagome, tell them how lovely it is!"

"Ah.. Yes.. Erm.. It's really… lovely."

Inuyasha held back a snicker.

Souta rolled his eyes, already having a pretty good idea of what it would look like.

"Kagome? Did I.. I got a room too, right?" Shippo asked his make shift mother tentatively.

"Of course Shippo-chan! Everyone got a room, you especially!"

Inuyasha mumbled something best left unrepeated.

~*~

"umm…" Never before had Miroku found himself torn between killing himself, going insane, or fleeing far, far away. He settled for just saying the ever useful 'umm'.

"Ah…" Sango tried her best to keep a smile on her face. "It's…."

"Words can not describe." Miroku supplied. Sango nodded.

Shippo poked one of the many bubbles floating around the room.

Souta slapped a hand to his forehead at his mother's predictable 'special-ness'.

"I call it the HAPPY ROOM! Don't you lo~ve it! Doesn't it make you ha~ppy?" Mrs.Higurashi laughed at her own joke, that really wasn't a joke at all.

Inuyasha pondered various ways one could kill themselves supplied with bubbles, flowers, and pinkness.

"Ah.. Em… erm.. Mom, let's go show Shippo his room now!" Kagome suggested, her voice lacquered in enthusiasm.

"Oh sweety! That's a _Wonderful idea!"_

  
~*~

Shippo gazed at the room Kagome said was his in pure bliss. Sure, he hadn't the slightest idea as to what most of the things in it were, but he did know what the many tall things, with a transparent sphere at the top, were full of. Candy… so much candy… and there were so many of the odd candy holders! They basically framed each wall!

  
Kagome smiled at the obvious euphoria captured on Shippo's face. "Do you know what those do Shippo?" She pointed at one of the gumball machines that Shippo no doubt had never saw before.

"Candy! CANDY!"

"Well… um.. Yes but.. What I meant was-"

"CANDY!!" Shippo lunged himself at one of the machines and was about to kitsune-bi it open when Souta cleared his throat loudly and poked his shoulder.

"Do you want me to show you how to get the candy out?"

Shippo stared pointedly at the fox fire already beginning to gather.

"Erm… without … killing it?" Souta added.

"Well.. I guess." Shippo sheepishly removed himself from the transparent sphere he had been glomping and joined Souta on the ground.

"OH KAGOME! I KNEW HE'D LOVE IT! Cutie Shippo does love candy doesn't he! Wasn't it a good idea? Didn't I come up with a good idea!?" Mrs.Higurashi giggled giddily.

"But Kagome it was your idea to-" Inuyasha's sentence stopped short at a harsh jab in his ribs. "Hey!"

"Yes mother, of course it was a good idea! You're so smart mom!" Kagome praised her mom much like a proud mother would do a preschooler who had just brought home a scribble drawing.

"Kagome.. What are those strange things full of candy?" Sango was eyeing the candy rather droolingly. "Suddenly… I feel a big craving for candy… candy.. Lots of candy…"

"They're bubble gum machines, well, they don't just dispense bubblegum, but originally, that's all they dispensed, so the name stuck…" Kagome explained, obviously ignoring Sango's bit about wanting candy.

Miroku looked confused. "But I don't get it, why would people trap their candy in these 'bubble gum machines'." From Miroku's Sengoku Jidai mind, there didn't appear any way short of destruction of getting the candy out.

"Just wait, watch Souta."

Souta finally finished digging around in his pocket and withdrew a coin. Feeling like quiet the miracle worker, what with the way all the people living in the past, sans his sister, were looking at him as if he withheld the reason for existence, he placed his quarter in the slot and turned the lever. 

Shippo gasped in amazement as Souta opened up a flap and a piece of candy fell into his hand.

"You're magic!" Shippo greedily grabbed the candy from the hands of the magic boy and crammed it into his mouth.

"Candy!!" Sango ran over to Souta and talked him into doing the coin miracle again and make her candy. Afraid of the hormonal affects of pregnancy, Souta obliged rather willingly.

Miroku wasn't so convinced at the greatness of this 'bubble gum machine'. "Though, isn't it a bit unnecessary? You have to go through all that trouble just for one small piece of candy. It seems easier for Kagome to just grab a piece from a bowl or bag of some sort."

Kagome of course, had a reason for the inconveniency of the bubble gum machine. "Yes, but, that also means Shippo can pig out all he wants, this way-"

"This way the damn runt isn't stuffing his face every five seconds with all that shit." Inuyasha snickered. "And this way he has to ask one of us for one of those quarter things before he can get any candy."

Shippo would have been discouraged, but he was too busy being surrounded by entrapped candy.

"Cutie Cutie Kawaii Shiii~pooo~o!" Mrs.Higurashi called from beside a video game console and a large screen T.V. "Come look at this thingy Inuyasha picked out for you"

Okay, in all technicality, Inuyasha had merely suggested buying one, of course… why disagree with anyone! "Oh yeah whelp, I spent hours searching for the perfect one just for you." Wasn't he a wonderful father? So giving, so loving…

Shippo abandoned the candy for the thing he had began to lovingly call a 'video game' since his last stay at Souta's. "Souta , Souta, come play!"

Souta really didn't need to be asked, as he had already grabbed the other controller and was opening the case to some fighting game.

"Hey, pause for a second." Shippo went over to one of the many bubble gum machines, kitsune-bied it, and scooped up an armful of the candy. Dumping it between him and Souta, he started up the game again, a tootsie roll in his mouth.

  
Something told Kagome that the bubble gum machines had been a lost cause.

~*~

"Oh Sweet, antiquely Kaede! I've got a surprise for you!" Jii-chan rapped on the elderly woman's closed bedroom door. 

"Erm.. I'm sleeping!" Kaede yelled out, then smacked herself for her retarded answer. Sure, the man was a bit off, but he wasn't _that_ stupid.

"Oh, sweety-cakes! Don't joke around! I've made you breakfast!"

Breakfast? Oh dear kami… wh… what could it be? She was fresh out of anything that could be even roughly considered food.. And the nearest market place was many, many miles away. Afraid of what she might find, Kaede stumbled out of the room, where, contrary to what she had told Jii-chan, ("I'm going to take a nap, you know, we antiques need our rest!") she had actually been grinding herbs.  


"Oh Kaede-san! You look ravishingly old this morning!" Jii-chan did a quick bow and lead the elderly miko over to where he had a table sat for two, complete with candles… 

"W..what are we having?" Kaede was really afraid to ask. Why did she get left alone with Kagome's grandfather anyway? Oh wait, Kirara was still here, so technically they weren't _alone _ alone, but that was little compensation.

  
Jii-chan swiped a cardboard box out from behind his back. "Bran flakes!"

~*~

Having left the two younger boys playing the video game, the tour went by much quicker, and the group found themselves at the last room, Miroku and Sango's.

Kagome stood in front of the doorway to the room, preventing any one from entering just yet. "Oh, I hope you guys like it, I had to pick out most of the stuff myself, because _somebody_ got mad about a _little incident_." 

"_Little Incident_ my ass! You made me look like a fucking moron!"

"Well, it didn't take much effort." Kagome hmpfed.

"Bitch!"

"sit."

"Agh!" Now you'd really thing that after more than a year of calling Kagome names, and getting sat for it, Inuyasha would have learned the repercussions of pissing the girl off. Regardless, it seemed that Inuyasha hadn't yet mastered the whole 'learning from your mistakes' thing. He seemed to be suffering from a lack of reason, or, what Kagome liked to refer to as 'Ow, I touched the fire and it burnt! I'll touch it again and see what happens!". "Why'd you do that that for Bitch?!"

"Sit."

"Agh!" The cycle continued a few more times until Miroku and Sango both cleared their throats pointedly, having grown bored of Inuyasha being pounded into the floor and Mrs.Higurashi's rendition of 'row row row you're boat'. 

"Oh right, the room!"

~*~

"Kagome… It's beautiful!" Sango's sentimentality had went up ten fold sense she got pregnant, and she found herself hugging Kagome, crying tears of joy.  


"Feh." Inuyasha added in his say, still mad after the sitting from moments before.

"Oh, you really did do a wonderful job decorating the place Kagome, it's very nice." Miroku farther inspected the room. A large bed sat in one corner, (the result of three bed's just big enough to fit though a well shoved together) lavished in expensive emerald silk, embroidered in Japanese designs. A beautiful oak dresser, nightstand, and table also stood in the room. The walls had been painted an off-white, a crème rug lay on the floor. The hinges in the wall that were reminiscent of shelves had been filled with books, what Kagome had called a T.V and DvD player, along with hundreds of various 'dvds'. 

"AhLALA! Don't cry Kawaii-sango! Cute things shouldn't cry!" Mrs.Higurashi shrieked out, without warning.

"Sango-chan, I've got another surprise too!" Kagome shared a look with Inuyasha, who didn't return her look, as he was still sulking like the dog that he was.

"Another?"

"Yes! Okay, are you ready?"

"Oh do tell us! Tell us Kagome! I must now!" Mrs.Higurashi was , for some reason, excited about the secret, despite it not involving her.

"Inuyasha says you're having two pups! And they're both girls!"

"Oh… Oh my god!" Sango's whole face lit up even more so than it had already been, she hugged her friend again. "Oh.. Girls! I was hoping they'd be girls! I.. I'm just so happy!"

Kagome's happiness was interrupted as the image of the raven with the umbilical cord in its mouth flashed in front of her eyes with utter clarity. Shaking her head, the image dissolved and she forced a smile back on her face.. Just a dream.

Though it went unnoticed by everyone else, Inuyasha noticed Kagome give a violent shudder. Concern replacing his grudge, he closed the space between them and casually draped his arm over her shoulder.

"Oh! That's so splendid sweety! Girls! Oh, you're so lucky Sango-chan! Blessed with two little babies! And girls are much easier to raise to! At least, that's the way it was with Kagome, but she's always been a good girl. Now Souta, it too forever to get him potty trained, he was still in…" Mrs.Higurashi rambled on, though no one listened to her at all.

Miroku pondered the irony of fate. So, had he had a child back when Naraku was alive, for the purpose of an heir, it would have been a _girl?_ Sure, a girl was more than okay now, but back then he needed an heir, not a daughter! Fate was one sick bitch sometimes… But of course, that was the past, Naraku was long since dead and he no longer was in such dire need of an heir. He had a mate, a family, and now two baby girls… He was going to be a father… he was going to be a father!!

Miroku took Sango from Kagome and hugged her.

~*~

"Did you like your bran flakes, Kaede….chan?"

Did he just? No, no he didn't. Surely, no man, even close to being in their right mind would add a 'chan' to her name. She was sixty something odd years old, and a miko for kami's sakes! Pretending the 'chan' never happened, Kaede forced a smile. "Oh… yes, they were good. Thanks for sharing this dish from the future with me."

Jii-chan pushed her thank you away with a wave of his hand. "Oh, it was no problem at all! After all, if you were an antique vase, wouldn't I polish you? If you were an ancient piece of parchment, wouldn't I put you safe under air tight glass? It's only logical, that as you are an antique, I must take care of you!" 

"…um…"

"Say Kaede, you know… the young-uns are gone and we're… all alone. Do you know of anything two people like ourselves could do… all alone?" Jii-chan leaned forward, trying his best to look seductive, of course, he ended up just looking like he was senile, which is a whole other topic all together.

"Nono-no! We aren't alone! Why look, look, it's Kirara! Kirara's here!" Kaede pointed at the sleeping cat demon, desperately. "See! Kirara! Alone, not us!"

"But Kaede…chan, she's sleeping."

Kaede flung her bowl at Kirara. "Oops, I'm so clumsy sometimes." Kirara opened her eyes and growled.

"Oh, look, Kirara woke up!"

~*~

"Sesshy-sama?" The adorable little girl called as she caught up with the effeminate lord of the western lands.

He made a small sound in the back of his throat that she took as a sign to continue with what she had to say.

Whatever she had to say was apparently something she wasn't so sure she should ask. Rin wasn't sure how her Sesshy-sama would react, and she didn't like saying things when she didn't know how he'd react.

"What?" Sesshoumaru finally asked, annoyed, after the girl made no move to continue and reeked pf nervousness.

"Do you.. Do you remember Jaken?"

Sesshoumaru stiffened. The frog-thing was a touchy subject. "What of him?"

"Well, remember the day I woke up and he was gone? And then I asked where he went, and you said you'd tell me when I was older?" (so apparently Rin's little outburst of "frog legs are yummy' back in chapter five was just a random outburst that held no significance to anything. Hell, the girl just likes frog legs.)

Sesshoumaru really wasn't liking where this was going. "..yes…"

"Well, I was thinking, it's been a lot of moon's since then, so I think I'm older so-"

"Oh look Rin," Sesshoumaru, god forbid, made his voice sound perky. "_flowers!_"

Rin looked to where her Sesshy-sama was pointing, her Sesshy-sama who had this really weird thing going on with his face. She took a mild glance of interest at the flowers, but then switched back to Sesshy-sama's weird face. "What's wrong with your face, Sesshy-sama?"

"I'm smiling." Alright, so I'd been a while, but that was no reason for the girl to be looking at him so strangely! Defeated, he let the forced smile fall, she didn't seem too interested in the flowers anyway, despite his sacrifice of pride at trying to make them seem as grand as possible. "Jaken had issues Rin. He had to leave."

"Issues? What kind of issues?" Rin looked up at him, her eyes filled with curiosity.

"Problematic issues."

"What kind of probl-em-ati-c issues?" Rin pursued, having a bit of trouble repeating the big word.

Admitting this could go on forever, Seshoumaru finally gave in. 

"Rin, Jaken told me he loved me and wanted me to be his wife. My emotion for Jaken was about as much emotion I hold for that bug at your feet, and I, Seshoumaru, will _never_ be anyone's wife."

"Oh." Rin thought about this for a second. "So where did Jaken go?" 

"I don't know Rin, and I really don't care. He did mention something about going to be with his first love, some human wench named 'Cologne' I think…"

~*~~*~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~~*~

Wouldn't Jaken and Cologne (From Ranma ½) make a wonderful couple?

~

Eh, sorry this got out so late, I really have no excuse other than that I've been working on a lot of other crap. I brought a bit of plot back into the story, if you can call Kagome's dream plot. I mean, sure, she's saying 'it's just a dream', but I know, and you know, it's an obvious plot device. The next chapter will be skipping straight to the wedding party, which, really is only skipping about a week ahead. Ah, I can't promise when the next chapter will be out, but within two weeks. That said…

~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**__**

*******1,043 REVIEWS!!!!!!!!*********

Thank you ALL so very much! I can't believe I've got so many! Over one thousand! Thanks… Thanks SOOOO MUCH! I don't know what to say… Except it just really makes me soo happy to see that number every time I look at my stats page when I log in! THANNNNNNNNNKKK YOU!!!!

Thanks again, and, as always, please review.

-Heather-


	47. ImpotantVERY IMPORTANT AUTHORS NOTE!

Hello everyone.  
  
Yes, this is an authors note, not an update. Sorry, But I feel I should tell you that it may be over a month before I am able to update again. You see, my computer is getting sent off for repairs again, and I shouldn't get it back for another month. Also, my mom is having surgery this friday and I will be very busy with that and back to school stuff in the weeks to come.   
  
I have also been considering dropping this fanfiction. Don't freak out, it's nothing official yet, but my reviews as of late have been less than encouraging and I don't have the time for this story, or ff.net at all, that I used to. I haven't quiet decided, so.. yeah, don't kill me yet, kay? ^^; About those less than enouraging reviews.  
  
Most of them have been basically telling me that my story has got too far off plot and that my character's are ooc and I have too much humor. Alright people, news flash, I'm not so dense that I don't realize that. But guess what? That's the way I like it! Wow, who saw that coming? I'm happy with how the story is going and if you don't like it, don't read it!  
  
Below you will find some such reviews and my responses to each of them.... And yes, they   
  
~*~  
  
From: The Critic(donttakenocrap@giveemhell.dne)  
  
I am here to warn you. Your crackpot humor is getting out of hand. If   
  
you keep it up and do not get back to the plot I'm afraid you may loose   
  
your more intelligent readers.rnrnThat is all I have to say other than   
  
that I thought the begining was great and that Kagome's mom is not the   
  
ditz you make her out to be.  
  
My response:I am well aware of the fact that Mrs.Higurashi is extremely out of character, as well as a great majority, if not every one, of the other characters. Yes, I know my story is more than too much based on humor, but, I could care less. It's the way I like it, and how I want it to be. As for readers, it's a fanfiction, I make no profit off of it, and I have over one thousand reviews, the only reason I even write it anymore is for my own enjoyment, and I enjoy writing it with 'crackpot humor'. If it does not suit your liking, I highly suggest you go read another story.   
  
  
  
----  
  
From: Umm... Excuse me.   
  
I'm all for a good humor fic and a bit a crazyness now and then is just fine but too much can ruin a story. Right now you are right on the edge. As a faithful reader of your story I would like to recommend that you get in some serious parts soon. After all, you need to continue the plot eventually.   
  
My response: I've already fell off the edge and am being carried down the raging river below. I'm aware of that. I've also said time and time again that I am getting back to the plot, slowly but surely. I will do so at my own pace. Think about it this way, the sooner I get back to plot, the sooner the story is over. Or perhaps you'd like that?  
  
---  
  
~*~  
  
Those are the two most recent ones. As you can see, they kind of piss me off. But as for the rest of you, the faithful, nice, great reviews who send me nothing but encouragement and the occasional contructive critism... *gloms* Thank you all! It's you all who have kept the story up so long! Because I'm feeling exceptionally happy with you all, I'll list a few of you who have sent me nice reviews for my last chapter...  
  
~*~  
  
Vold: As always, you're always there to cheer me up with your nice reviews, and point me in the right direction when neccesary.  
  
Sango-hanyou: Thanks so much for your wonderful review! All the compliments mean a lot to me.   
  
Lord Agamus: Though your review was rather short *glares* you're still reading after so long and still enjoying it so... yay for you! *smiles*  
  
Inu-chan: Wow, you stayed up all night reading it? Thanks for your time! You are a much better reviewer than all those mean people who only point out how out of hand my humor has gotten. *glomps*  
  
Ian: Now you, you're review was VERY nice, and I'm very flattered. It was very reasuring after the one's I've been getting recently  
  
~*~  
  
Sorry that I can't name every one of you, but I've ran out of time and I have to go. Excuse the absence of my writing please, and I hope to have an update out within a month... please understand, that if i do decide to continue this story, which I'll probably force myself to do, updates will be pretty few and far between.. Sorry...  
  
-The Deity of Fun Dinner-  
  
~*~ 


	48. TBorTE:: THE LOST ENDING you wanted it, ...

THE BEGINNING OR THE END:: REVENGE OF THE ANGRY AUTHORESS

(THE LOST ENDING)

  
(but first, a message to my loyal fans, the true ones who I really do appreciate and love, who respected my absence and never aimed me to death) 

You don't have to read this. You don't want to. That's a promise. Just look at the title. It doesn't have to end this way, it doesn't have to end. This is a fan fiction, not real, end it however you want to. Sure, it was begun by one fan, but it can end by another. You aren't going to like this ending, that's a promise. If you do read it, read it good naturedly, because there is a present at the end for you loyal people, you who still have your imaginary casts members and the like, you who have never aimed me a bazillion times griping at me for not continuing. People have harassed me, and I'm tired of it. This is my revenge. I hope you like it.

And, without farther ado, here dearies, here it is, and don't even tell me you didn't ask for it.

-_~

Sesshoumaru followed the scent of his lousy, retarded, unworthy, useless, half-breed half-brother. Why was he searching for such a useless person as him? Because the great Sesshy-maru needed him right now.

__

'No, I need his bitch, there is a difference' Sesshy reminded himself, trying to maintain the little bit of pride he had left. Well actually, the remainder of his pride was so small now one couldn't really accurately call it even so much as a bit. Of course, for the sake of Sesshy-maru's sanity, and the value of our lives, _we_ will.

Why did Sesshy-maru need Kagome?

The girl on top of his shoulders stirred and repeated the question she had been asking for the past hour once again. "Sesshy~maru-sama, what is… sex?" 

That was why.

Sesshy~maru cringed visibly. Kami knew where she'd heard it from, probably Jaken, that ugly little green pervert. He hadn't the slightest as to why she was just deciding to ask about it now, other than as being part of her never-ending quest to rid him of all the pride he had. Well, he wouldn't lose this time! No, you wouldn't see this Sesshoumaru giving a sex talk to the little mortal girl currently braiding his hair atop his shoulders. No, instead he would go up to his lousy, retarded, unworthy, useless, half-breed half-brother, admit that he needed his bitches help, and have her do it… 

"Is it… candy?" Oh god.

Assuming she was wrong by her Sesshy-maru's cringe, Rin continued guessing.

"Is it something you can eat? A game? Something Rin can play? Hmm…" She thought hard, knowing that none of those were correct because of all the cringes she had received, especially for that last one. "Hmm… I was thinking it was some kind of game, because Jaken-sama said he was really good at it, and I couldn't think of anything but a game that someone could be really good at… Sesshy-maru? Why did you stop walking?"

Sesshy-maru had indeed stopped walking. He had in fact, frozen in place after Rin related the news of Jaken being a self-proclaimed sex god. That sick little bastard. 

"Rin…" He choked out her name, actually surprised that he still had the ability to speak. "Rin…" The great lord of the western lands was at a complete loss. "Just… just… wait… stop talking, Inuyasha's bitch will explain… but, what it is…" He stopped, trying to get the will to continue. "Whatever it is, I assure you, there is no way in all of the many hells that Jaken has ever done it, at least not with anything that isn't bumpy, old, short, and green. ...or maybe with that cologne wench."

The fates must have been feeling sorry for Sesshy-maru at that moment, for, before Rin could farther comment, Sesshoumaru walked through a clump of tress and found himself at a clearing with an old well. Now, this normally wouldn't be a great accomplishment if not for the fact that currently his lousy, worthless, ect. Half brother, along with his groupies, were within two feet of said well.

Sesshoumaru, for the first time, realized the problem involved with his plan. How would he go about doing this? Well, first, to get his attention, because, as expected, his worthless half brother was too stupid to notice his presence himself.

"Idiot." Sesshoumaru called to his brother with dignity, in form of greeting. Apparently, the idiot didn't here him. Well, he was still a good forty feet away, but still, his youkai blood couldn't be _that _weak. It seemed that his brother was in some sort of argument with his bitch. Inwardly, Sesshoumaru scoffed, it was just like Inuyasha, not to be able to control his own bitch. 

"Idiot!" he called again regally. And, again, nothing. He repeated the process a few times before coming to terms with the fact that he might actually have to put some effort into it and walk up and get his attention. This coming to terms business took a good ten minutes, during which Rin had came up with a nice little ditty that when something like:

"Sex Sex! What is Seee~exx? 

Is it a gaaammeee ex ex ex?

Can Rin plaaaayy ex ex ex?

Can Jaken teach Rin ex ex ex?

What… is… Sex!?"

Perhaps this little ditty played a large part in the coming to terms process. Regardless, by the time that he finally did come to terms with it, he was just barely in time to see Inuyasha jump down the well with a monk and a kitsune on his back.

Now his worthless half brother was rather strange, but…this was odd, even for him. And now! Now it appeared that Inuyasha's bitch was about to do the same as Inuyasha, only with the exterminator and the cat on her back. Well, he wasn't about to let that happen.

From the folds of his beautiful, girly haori, he withdrew a small pink object. 

"Seshy-sama? What's that?" Rin asked innocently.

"Shut up Rin." Seshoumaru said in his usual, obey me blindly voice, completely expecting her to do so.

But instead..something very unexpected happened.

  
Rin leapt from his shoulders and stood in front of him, her hands on her hips. She was snarling. Foam was actually draining from her mouth. 

"YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE! YOU THINK I'LL JUST DO WHATEVER YOU SAY? FUCK THAT! I'M TIRED OF YOU AND YOU 'SHUT UP RIN!". JUST WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? 'Ooh! Look at me! I'm the great Seshoufuckingmaru-sama! Bow to my beauty! Fuck that and fuck you! That's right, I'm tired of your shit!"

"..NAN..NANI!?" Seshoumaru had never been so shocked in his life.

Rin broke off as she started coughing uncontrollably. The foam was gushing out of her mouth now. She fell to the ground, the fit was so powerful. In her fall, her hair fell off of her shoulders, exposing her neck. On her neck was a large, bloody bite mark, that, by all the powers of logic, Sesshoumaru should have noticed a long time ago, or smelt at least, but who ever said I was a fan of logic? 

Suddenly, with the exposure of the mark, Sesshoumaru understood. Rin had gotten rabies. How? Doesn't matter. She has them and that's that. And, everyone knows what you do when a pup has rabies. Everyone's watched old yeller. 

From no where, girly magical background music began to play. Seshoumaru somersaulted in the air, and, after a moment of implied nudity, he was back on the ground, wearing a ridiculously provocative pink dress.

He pulled out what looked like a mini-computer.

"Magick Computer-san!" eshoumaru whispered in his girliest voice. 

  
"Yes?" Said the computer, sounding ridiculously like Barney.

"I need a rifle."

"What's the magic words?"

Seshoumaru put a finger up to his chin, pondering a moment. "Ah! Bippity bop pity boo!"

And a rifle was magically in his hand. 

He began crying hysterically.

Mysteriously only noticing just now, Sango and Kagome turned around.

"What…what the heck is he doing?" Sango said.

Kagome, now crying, shooshed her friend and went to stand beside Seshoumaru, laying a hand on his shoulder. "It's what has to be done…she has rabies…haven't you saw old yeller?"

Sango looked confused.

Promptly, Seshoumaru shot Rin, and, still possessing a bit of taste, I shall leave out the details.

Suddenly, Kagome realized how hansom Seshoumaru was. So did Sango. Right, at this exact instant, right after killing a small child. Yes, just now, so did Kirara. Killing turned them on. Hey, whatever floats your boat.

Completely in sync, Kagome and Sango, along with Kirara, did a bizarre cheer about how much they loved Seshoumaru.

"Marry us both!" Sango and Kagome both cried at the same time. Kirara meowed.

"What ? You know I only have eyes for my brother!"

"But… we love you!" they sobbed briefly. "well then..please release us from our pain by killing us using that pink bouncy ball you have.

  
Seshoumaru obliged. The bouncy ball broke open, exposing an incredibly ugly yellow thing.

"Pikachu!" said it.

Seshoumaru began to kiss it passionately. We shall tactfully leave this scene of the lovemaking between pikachu and seshoumaru amongst the dead bodies, and go instead into the future, to find out what's up with Inuyasha and Miroku.

500 years in the future, Miroku and Inuyasha had been confronted by a very odd foe. Said foe appeared to be a deranged teenage human girl. She was currently blocking the exit of the well house. Now, normally, such a teenage girl would be hardly a problem, but, since this teenage girl is friends with the almighty author of doom (aka: me) she has all the power in the world.

"What. Do you want?" Miroku fumbled, scared of that crazy look in her eye.

"To sniff you!" The girl cried.

"Stand back Miroku, love! I'll get her with Tetsugai!" Inuyasha, after giving Miroku a brief kiss, carried him bridal style a few feet away. Only to find that tetsugai had been replaced by a banana and the deranged teenage girl was dancing ecstatically.

  
"I KNEW YOU WERE GAY! I KNEW! I KNEW IT! NOW WHO'S CRAZY? NOW WHO HAS TO MUCH FREE TIME? HMMM? All those hours of screen capping finally paid off." Without a moments hesitation, the deranged girl, known by some as Kaylana, used her top of cool powers to capture Miroku and Inuyasha and force them to live in her closet. 

500 years in the past, Kaede died of a heart attack. 

Not knowing the truth, the Higurashi family assumed that Kagome had abandoned them, so they grew to hate her. Ten years later, after getting into web design, Souta was the proud owner of several Kagome hate shrines.

OWARI

I'm..really sorry it had to come to that. Really. But don't blame me. Blame the thousands (or at least tens) or idiots who Imed me, begging me to continue despite my lack of interest. Griping at me, trying to guilt me. I have a life, believe it or not. Really. I tried to be nice, really, I even tried to scare people away..I mean, how's this for aim info?

'

Listen dearies , I'm not a very social person. Once upon a great time, I wrote fanfiction, under the alias THEDIETYOFFUNDINNER, however, I'm afraid those days are over. I don't mind people talking to me...if they have something interesting to say other than "I LUVED YOUR FIC!". If you can provide good conversation, punctuation, and grammer, than I don't mind you IMing me.... otherwise, please leave me alone, chances are, I don't want to talk to you.'

And yet…I still got people like…Spencer… Spencer was, what they call, the straw that broke the camels back…or, in this case, the annoying fan who finally drove me over the edge. Here's what the lovely had to say:

  
**Mdtspencer**: _hi  
_**DeityofFunDinner**: ?  
**DeityofFunDinner**: Hello?  
**Mdtspencer**: _did u make the fanfic tb or te  
_**DeityofFunDinner**: ..yes.  
**Mdtspencer**: _plz keep the fic going it is great  
_**Mdtspencer**: _the best ive ever read  
_**DeityofFunDinner**: It's really not that great...  
**Mdtspencer**: _yes it is  
_**Mdtspencer**: _i have read alot of fics  
_**Mdtspencer**: _it is great  
_**Mdtspencer**: _but a guess u dont want to talk about it  
_**Mdtspencer**: _thats what ur profile said  
_**Mdtspencer**: _but i have one question why did u stop writing ur fic  
_**Mdtspencer**: _???  
_**DeityofFunDinner**: I lost interest.  
**Mdtspencer**: _ohhhh  
_**DeityofFunDinner**: i got into webdesgin.  
**Mdtspencer**: _is that why u changed kittie-kitte.net  
_**DeityofFunDinner**: design*  
**DeityofFunDinner**: ?  
**DeityofFunDinner**: What do you mean?  
**Mdtspencer**: _well the backround looks diffrent  
_**Mdtspencer**: _it used to be inu  
_**DeityofFunDinner**: No, I'm still into Inuyasha. Just not that fanfiction. The reason it's a new layout is because it's good web etiquet to change your layout often, otherwise people grow bored of it.  
**Mdtspencer**: _oooooohhhhhh  
_**Mdtspencer**: _do u think what u wrote might happen  
_**Mdtspencer**: _???  
_**Mdtspencer**: _?  
_**DeityofFunDinner**: Nope.  
**DeityofFunDinner**: Not at all.  
**Mdtspencer**: _darn  
_**Mdtspencer**: :-(  
**DeityofFunDinner**: of course, I'm not rumiko takahashi, so I guess what I think doesn't matter much.  
**Mdtspencer**: _did u look at the reviews before u quit  
_**Mdtspencer**: _???  
_**Mdtspencer**: _?  
_**DeityofFunDinner**: I still read the reviews I get.  
**Mdtspencer**: _ohh  
_**Mdtspencer**: _people are going to be sad now  
_**DeityofFunDinner**: yeah.  
**DeityofFunDinner**: well.  
**Mdtspencer**: _because u never finshed it completly  
_**DeityofFunDinner**: Yeah.  
**Mdtspencer**: _so are u going to tell peeps that ur going to stop writing  
_**Mdtspencer**: _???  
_**DeityofFunDinner**: ...I don't intend to.  
**Mdtspencer**: _so that means other peeps like me who have been waiting for u to cont   
_**Mdtspencer**: _are going to keep wating  
_**Mdtspencer**: _?  
_**DeityofFunDinner**: I suppose.  
**Mdtspencer**: _brb   
_**Mdtspencer**: _back  
_**Mdtspencer**: _plz just write one chapter to finsh it up so the peeps will stop wating if ur sure u will not cont to right this fanfic  
_**DeityofFunDinner**: ...if I write a new chapter, you guys aren't going to like it.  
**Mdtspencer**: _why?  
_**DeityofFunDinner**: Because, you just wont.  
**Mdtspencer**: _well try it out u never know do u  
_**DeityofFunDinner**: Oh, you wont.  
**Mdtspencer**: _why does everyone die beause of tthe apclapse  
_**Mdtspencer**: _i cant spell  
_**DeityofFunDinner**: I noticedl.  
**DeityofFunDinner**: I'll write your ending.  
**DeityofFunDinner**: check the story tommorrow and you'll have your ending.  
**DeityofFunDinner**: promise.  
**Mdtspencer**: _thanks   
_**DeityofFunDinner**: but i'm warning you, you want like it.  
**DeityofFunDinner**: but at least it will be over.  
**DeityofFunDinner**: and people will stop bothering me.  
**Mdtspencer**: _thats  
_**Mdtspencer**: _true  
_**Mdtspencer**: _but if u change the ending and keep making the story peeps who love the fic will see and read  
_**Mdtspencer**: _and give more reviews  
_**Mdtspencer**: _but that is a big if right  
_**Mdtspencer**: _??  
_**DeityofFunDinner**: big is an understatement.  
**Mdtspencer**: _wow  
_**Mdtspencer**: _what made u lose intrest  
_**Mdtspencer**: _???  
_**DeityofFunDinner**: I don't know. things change.  
**DeityofFunDinner**: people change.  
**Mdtspencer**: _but not everything changes  
_**Mdtspencer**: _who knows next year u could be writeing the fic again  
_**Mdtspencer**: _koosei 2004-01-26 47 Signed   
oh, too bad. Good luck with it. Hope it returns to you soon.  
keep writing!  
ja ne!   
Icy_Hot INU-LUVA 2004-01-20 47 Anonymous   
UPDATE PLEASE UPDATE!! i ABSOLUTLY LUV your story  
specially dat part wit the furniture dat can fit down a well. *wipes tear away* yeah... DUN EVA EVA DROP THIS STORY!   
  
_**Mdtspencer**: _Hello Deity, first time reviewer long time reader, I understand where people think you go overboard on the humor, but I like that (hehe beds just big enough to fit down a well) heheh excellent story, sorry people donot understand that a story doesnt have to be all serious to be good, I dont even know if youll look at my review, but if you do , just remember you do still have faithful readers who dont care what you put down...as long as Inuyasha,Miroku,Sango,Shippo,Kagome,Kirara,Sesshoumaru,Rin,Kaede,Souta,Kags mom,even Ji-chan arent killed. Otherwise ill eat you soul lol. Keep up da good work _:-):-):-):-):-):-):-):-)_)_:-):-):-):-):-):-):-):-)_)  
_**DeityofFunDinner**: ...you're giving me ideas.  
**Mdtspencer**: _what do u mean  
_**Mdtspencer**: _???  
_**DeityofFunDinner**: ..nothing.  
**DeityofFunDinner**: writing.  
**Mdtspencer**: _bad or good  
_**DeityofFunDinner**: I guess that's for you to judge.  
**Mdtspencer**: _so does that mean u are going to cont the fic or am i asking for miracles  
_**DeityofFunDinner**: I'm writing an ending.  
**DeityofFunDinner**: that's enough.  
**DeityofFunDinner**: or will have to be.  
**DeityofFunDinner**: I'm writing an ending..just for the people like you.  
**Mdtspencer**: _Hello. This is the guy that e-mailed you a   
few months ago, you know, the one that wanted you to update your story The Beggining or the End?.  
You said you would have it updated before Christmas. Well guess what? You only have 4  
weeks left before I go insane from waiting.  
PLEASE, I am BEGGING you to UPDATE, the SUSPENSE   
is boiling me ALIVE! This is probably the BEST  
fanfic I have EVER read!I have been checking almost every day for the past 5 months for you to update.If you want to e-mail me back check my e-mail address(did I spell that right?).  
_**Mdtspencer**: _these are all reviews about peeps who love this fic  
_**Mdtspencer**: _but i have to keep what i said and that is plz keep writing this fic it is the best fic i have read and i have read over a 100  
_**Mdtspencer**: _I am dropping all active fics except TBorTE. Sorry, but I don't have the time or passion to finish them, it's going to take all I have just to finish TBorTE. But, with all the negative feedback I got once I mentioned quiting TBorTE, I've decided to complete it to the best of my advantage. An update will come about, eventually, within two months... hopefully.   
  
and that is what u said  
_**Mdtspencer**: _just to tell u peeps would be happy if u just wrote one chapter every 3-6 months or somtin  
_**Mdtspencer**: _u here  
_**DeityofFunDinner**: yes,  
**Mdtspencer**: _so what do u think of every thing i said  
_**Mdtspencer**: _???????????????  
_**DeityofFunDinner**: I'm writing my ending, ne?  
**Mdtspencer**: _what do u think of what i said  
_**DeityofFunDinner**: I think you all deserve the ending you want, so I'm giving you one.  
**Mdtspencer**: _okay  
_**Mdtspencer**: _how long is it going to be]  
_**DeityofFunDinner**: at least 2000 words.  
**Mdtspencer**: _okay  
_**Mdtspencer**: _the miroku and songo on was goo  
_**Mdtspencer**: _d  
_**Mdtspencer**: _im going to miss tb or te  
_**DeityofFunDinner**: yeah.  
**Mdtspencer**: _are u ?  
_**DeityofFunDinner**: nope.  
**Mdtspencer**: _why  
_**Mdtspencer**: _???  
_**DeityofFunDinner**: I dunno.  
**DeityofFunDinner**: you're now interupting my writing.  
**Mdtspencer**: _sorry  
_**Mdtspencer**: _how far have u gotten  
_**Mdtspencer**: _?  
_**Mdtspencer**: _?  
_**DeityofFunDinner**: almost done.  
**Mdtspencer**: _wow  
_**Mdtspencer**: _ur fast  
_**Mdtspencer**: _how many words  
_**Mdtspencer**: _???  
_**DeityofFunDinner**: not sure.  
**DeityofFunDinner**: i have to.  
**DeityofFunDinner**: check the story tommorow and it will be updated.  
**DeityofFunDinner**: i have to go.  
**DeityofFunDinner**: ja ne.

Was I mean? Probably. Did I overeact…maybe. But frankly I don't care. Just…people like him/her/it need to leave me alone. I'm not into fan fiction anymore, I'm into writing real fiction, I'm in to web design. But I am sorry.

So here it is, my formal apology.

Dear normal sane viewers who left me alone,

If you are still reading this, I commend you for it. I told you if you stuck read it through, there would be a present, here it is, later, in this apology. I'm sorry I had to end it that way, I hope you guys understand. Life changes, and I'm into different things now. I love you all for your support and encouragement during these months. It's been over a year since I started this story, and it needs to end now, even if it ends unfinished. 

And no, unlike a lot of authors, I wont give this story to anyone to finish. I love it dearly, even if I also think it needs to die. =_= I'll leave it up here, on ff.net (a place I rarely visit anymore). Fanfiction has gone to hell, all you ever see on here anymore is a bunch of dubbies running around writing lame fiction when they've saw all of 4 episodes, dubbed by people like funimation. I don't want to be a part of this anymore. 

Not to say I regret doing this. I mean, I got a lot out of it. My writing got better, I made some friends, hell, it was through this terrible story that I met Kaylana who remains a great online friend still yet. One that doesn't just talk to me to beg me to update -___- like some people. Anyway, I appreciate your support, and because of it, I'll tell you how it was..supposed to end.

So, in reality, this is the lost ending.

Kagome Inuyasha get married, Seshoumaru attends wedding (the first half of the above story was actually what I had started on the wedding part 1, up until the whole rin cussing thing..) it's hilarious, as usual. Oh, and Kagome takes off Inuyasha's 'collar' releasing him of the evil osuwari of doom. However, one of the twins Sango has actually turns out to be the reincarnation of midoriko, which is why Tsuyu was trying to kill the child, fearing it would try to kill all demons….Tsuyu wasn't to be killed because frankly, a demon like her can't really be killed, instead, Sango and her would have had a talk, and, reaching some kind of agreement that if the child ever started doing that…it would be dealt with properly, they all went on their marry way and lived happily ever after. At some point in time, kagome would get pregnant, ect. The end. 

Nothing great, nothing stupendous, nothing worth harassing anyone over. Anyway, thanks for sticking with me. If you really love me, you can follow me into the web designing world and visit my websites, the link to which kittie-kittie.net can be found in my profile. Thanks…god, how weird, I feel like crying now..I really did love this fic… such an end, such an end.

Sayonara,

-Heather-


End file.
